Survival in a Digital Game
by ChocolateChip-Master
Summary: Yuu Fujimura and her sister, Karissa, are both Beta Testers in the game, Sword Art Online. After finding out that you are trapped in the game until you beat the final boss on the 100th floor, the siblings are separated from each other. Can Yuu and Karissa survive in the death game without being killed by the Orange Guilds, or more importantly, 'Laughing Coffin? Crossover fic
1. Chapter 1

"Yuu-chan! Kisa-chan! I'm off to work, I'll be back at around six! Sayōnara!"

Fingers paused as they poised readily at the keyboard, and a young girl glanced up from a computer screen, her hazel eyes flashing slightly at the call up the stairs. She stretched, pulling off her headphones that were clamped tightly around her ears, and placed them on the computer desk. She glanced around the small room, pausing the newscast blaring through the speakers of her headphones It was talking about something about the new VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online.

She smirked, and swept her long red french-braided hair out of her eyes, and closed a laptop lid that was spewing out information on the creator of Sword Art Online, Kayaba Akihiko, and pulled a helmet-shaped thing from her bed. She smiled at it.

Today was the launching day of the long anticipated VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online, and Yuu Fujimura couldn't have been in a better mood. She slipped the helmet over her head, memories of the Beta Test flashing briefly in her mind, before she slipped the NerveGear over her head, and plugged it into the wall, lying down on the ground.

"Kisa-chan! Meet you there!" Yuu called to her sister, and closed her eyes. "Link Start!" It was a whirl of colours as the NerveGear checked to see if it was still functioning. Yuu logged in, and glanced at her login name. 'Akira'. If Yuu could move her real body at this point, she would grimace. She often played as a guy because of a bad memory at the other games she had attempted to play. It had ended badly.

Another whirl of colours shot Yuu into a new world, as the bright words appeared in front of her eyes: **'Welcome to Sword Art Online!'**

* * *

><p>Akira opened her eyes, her heart beat pounding in her ears. She glanced around, and glanced at her hands, which were covered in fingerless brown gloves. She wore a brown vest with a blue shirt underneath, with a brown belt and a sword strapped to her back, with brown pants and and tan boots. She smirked as the others appeared around her, and glanced behind her, trying to get used to the fact that she didn't have long hair anymore.<p>

She grinned and took off through town, trying to get out to the fields to start training. People were swarming the shops, trying to buy equipment, before somebody yelled at her.

"Hey! You!"

She turned, and glanced behind her. Running towards her was a girl with long brown hair, and wearing a pink and white dress. Akira waved.

"Hey," She said.

"Hi," The girl was panting. "Sorry to bother you, but you look like you've been here before. Like you know your way around. Were you in the beta test?" Akira froze, kind of shocked. She had to remember this was the official launching day, not the Beta Test.

"Oh yeah, I was," She smiled, and held out her hand. "I'm Akira."

"Izumi," The girl shook it. "If its not too much trouble, can you show me the basics?" Akira nodded, and smiled, leading her out of the town, or as it was more commonly known as, the Town of Beginnings, and lead her to where some Frenzy Boars were grazing.

"Alright," Akira said. "To start things out, this is called a Frenzy Boar. It's pretty vicious, even if it's only a level one. Start attacking, let's see what you got! Remember, what's most important is your initial motion input." Izumi nodded, and readied her sword, but not even two minutes into the fight, she was blasted back, and hit the ground with a bump, her HP gauge depleting slightly. She groaned.

"That hurt..."

"Give me a break," Akira sighed. "You don't feel any pain right?" Izumi glanced up, and blushed.

"Oh, yeah," She said.

"I told you," Akira put a hand on her hip. "What's important is your initial motion input.

"Sure, I get that," Izumi muttered. "But he keeps moving around!" Akira leaned down and picked up a rock from within the grass.

"If you do the motion input right," She tossed the rock in the air, and caught it pulling back and narrowing her eyes, focusing on the boar. "And activate a sword skill," The rock started glowing bright red, and she tossed towards the boar. It shot through the air, and made contact with it's rump. "The system will ensure that the technique connects." She drew her sword as the Frenzy Boar turned to her.

"Motion input," Izumi nodded, trying to remember that. "Motion input..." Her hand clenched on her sword as Akira got ready.

"How should I put it?" She mused. The boar charged at she sidestepped. The monster turned again and bounded forwards. She stopped it's charge with her sword, and struggled with it slightly. "Add a slight pause, and when you feel the skill began to activate, let it explode!"

"Explode?" Izumi repeated uncertaintly. She frowned and raised her sword behind her shoulder, and it started glowing red. Akira grinned, and slashed upwards, and the boar lost balance. She kicked it, and it bounded towards Izumi. The brunette bit her lip and released the sword skill with a yell. She slashed by it, and it shuddered, and exploded into tiny data fragments. A small screen with the amount of experience points she had received from the Frenzy Boar appeared, and a grin spread across Izumi's face.

"Congrats," Akira said with a smile, and high-fived her new friend. "However, that boar's just about as weak as slimes in other games."

"Seriously?!" Izumi said, shocked. "I thought it was a mid-level boss or something." Akira chuckled slightly, and looked out towards the fields where more Frenzy boars were spawning.

"Of course not," She said, and smiled as Izumi started playing around with her sword skill, and activating it, shooting forwards. "Pretty exciting isn't it?" She asked with a grin.

"Yeah!" Izumi nodded. "Hey, Akira-san, there are lots of skills, right? Like blacksmithing and stuff?"

"Yeah," Akira nodded. "I've heard there are unlimited number of skills. However, there's no magic." Izumi smirked as she activated her sword skill again.

"And RPG without magic?" She asked. "That's a pretty bold decision." She fired off her sword skill again, and grinned.

"Isn't it more fun to move your body as you fight?" Akira asked. Izumi turned to her with a huge grin.

"You're right!" She said. Akira smiled.

"Okay, let's head to the next one," She instructed as Izumi's eyes widened in excitement.

"Yeah! Let's keep going!"

* * *

><p>It was sunset before the two finally took a break. They sat down in the grass together by a roaring waterfall pouring water into a lake.<p>

"I still can't believe it, no matter how many times I see it," Izumi said. "That we're in a game. Whoever made it was a genius. It's really amazing! Seriously, I'm glad I was born in this time."

"You make a deal out of everything," Akira said teasingly.

"It's my first full dive!" Izumi said defensively.

"Is this your first time playing a game with NerveGear?" Akira asked curiously.

"I rushed out and bought the hardware to play SAO," Izumi explained. "I was really lucky to get one of the ten thousand copies. Well, you were ten times as lucky, getting into the beta test. Only a thousand people got to do it." Akira looked at her, and scratched the back of her head.

"I guess so..."

"How far did you get in the beta?" Izumi asked.

"Over a couple of months, only to Floor 8," Akira admitted. "This time, it'll only take a month."

"You're really into this, Akira-san," Izumi said with a slight giggle.

"To be honest, during the beta test, SAO was all I thought about, night and day," Akira drew her sword, and smiled. "In this world, a single blade can take you anywhere you want to go. It's a virtual world, but I still feel more alive here than I do in the real one. Now then," She sheathed her sword. "Want to hunt some more?"

"Of course!" Izumi said enthusiastically. "I'd love to, but I'm really hungry...I'm logging out to go eat. It must be dinnertime at home anyways."

"Eating food here only makes you think your not hungry," Akira told her.

"My mom already ordered a pizza for 5:30!" Izumi said, smiling.

"She's so prepared," Akira said dryly.

"Yup!"

Izumi stood up, and smiled at Akira.

"Well, once I've eaten, I'll be back!"

"I see," Akira looked out towards the lake, slightly disappointed.

"Hey," Izumi walked up to her. "After this, I'm meeting up with some people I know from another game. Want to friend them too?" Akira hesitated, before shaking her head. "Of course, if you don't want to that's okay. I'll introduce you another time."

"Yeah," Akira nodded. "Sorry. Thanks..."

"Hey, that's my line," Izumi said teasingly. "I'll repay you for this sometime. Mentally. Thank you so much Akira-kun. I'll see you around." Izumi turned and swiped down her menu, and froze. "Huh? Where's the logout button?" Akira frowned at her statement.

"Look closer."

"Nope, not there," Izumi turned to Akira.

"It's at the bottom of the main menu," Akira pulled down her own menu, and froze. Izumi was right. There was no logout button.

"See, not there," Izumi said.

"No, it isn't," Akira said, shocked.

"Well, it's the first day out of beta. There's bound to be some bugs," Izumi said, being more reassuring to herself then Akira. "I'm sure the server people are freaking out." Akira nodded. "Is there any other way to logout?" Akira swallowed.

"No," She shook her head. "If a player wants to log themselves out, they have to go through the menu."

"That's nuts," Izumi gasped. "There's got to be some way to get out..."

"I can't believe there wasn't some sort of system announcement about this," Akira said thoughtfully. No sooner had the words slipped from her mouth, did a ringing bell sound in the distance. The two friends tensed up and glanced back towards the Town of Beginnings. A bright light surrounded them both, and they appeared back in the town square. "A forced teleport?" She mused, and glanced at Izumi who appeared next to her. Around them players appeared left and right, and Akira instantly hoped she would find her sister. As suddenly as it started, the bell stopped ringing, and all that could be heard was the worried murmuring of the players.

"Up there!" Somebody yelled. Akira's head whipped up to look a a red data square, blinking slowly in the dying light.

"That's..." Akira said, and the screen multiplied, spreading over the sky. A horrible red substance began oozing out of the panels, which shaped into a person.

"What is that?" Izumi gasped in horror. It wore a large red cloak with golden linings, and it had no face.

"A Game Master," Somebody whispered.

"Why doesn't he have a face?"

"Is this some sort of event?"

"Attention players," The Game Master spread his hands. "Welcome to my world."

"My world?" Akira repeated.

"My name is Kayaba Akihiko," It continued. "As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world."

"Is that really him?" People started muttering. "He must have spent a long time on this."

"I'm sure you've already noticed," Kayaba said above all the murmurs. "That the logout button is missing from the main menu." He swiped his hand down and his own menu appeared, and he showed the assembled players all the absence of the logout button. "But this is not a defect in the game. I repeat, this is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Sword Art Online."

"A-A feature?" Izumi repeated, shocked.

"You cannot log out of SAO yourselves," Kayaba explained. "And no one on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear. Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life." The talking started up again, with many of people screaming, "What?"

"What is he talking about Akira-san?" Izumi asked. "He's gotta be nuts!"

"He's right that the transmitter's signals work just like a microwaves," Akira said grimly. "If the safety were disabled, it could fry a brain."

"Then if we cut the power-"

"No, the NerveGear has an internal battery," Akira felt bad, bringing this bad news to her new friend, but Izumi had to know.

"But this is crazy!" Izumi said. "What's going on?!"

"Unfortunately, several player's friends and families have ignored this warning, and have attempted to remove the NerveGear," Kayaba continued. "As a result, two hundred and thirteen players are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world." Akira's body tensed up with shock.

"Two hundred...and thirteen?" She repeated.

"I don't believe it," Izumi said nervously. "I don't believe it!"

"As you can see," Kayaba said. "News organizations across the world are reporting all of this, including the deaths." News screens appeared Kayaba and floated around him. Akira looked at one, and bit her lip. It read, 'Multiple Victims in Online Game Incident.' She looked at another one which showed a girl and a woman, possibly sibling and mother. "Thus you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed is now minimal.

"I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game," Kayaba said, and one by one the screens vanished. "But I want you to remember this clearly; There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost, and simultaneously, the NerveGear will destroy your brain." After this announcement, the murmurings stopped, and people stared in shock up at the creator of Sword Art Online.

"There is only one means of escape," Kayaba continued. "To complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad. Floor one. If you make your way through the dungeon, and defeat the floor boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game."

"Clear all hundred floors?" Izumi gasped. "That's impossible...The beta testers never made it anywhere near that high!"

"Finally," Kayaba lowered his hand. "I've added a present from me to your item storage. Please see for yourselves." Akira frowned, and opened up her menu with a frown, and went to her item storage. Her hand froze at the item box.

"Mirror?" She clicked on it, and it appeared in her hand. She glanced at her reflection, before Izumi started glowing in a bright light. "Izumi!" She yelled towards her friend, before around here people were enveloped in the same light, until she too was consumed. When Akira's vision was cleared from the light, she blinked a few times to clear her vision.

"You okay, Akira-san...wait a second..." Izumi frowned as Akira turned.

"Yeah," She said, but blinked. The girl before her wasn't the brunette she knew; she was blonde. "Who are you?"

"And who are you?" Izumi said. Akira raised the mirror to her face, and gasped, realizing it was her appearance in the real world. Everything down from the hazel eyes, and french braided red hair slung over her back. She looked up at Izumi, listening to the conversation finally understanding.

"Which means..." Akira's eyes widened. "You're Izumi?!"

"You're Akira?!" The girl said at the same time as her red haired friend. "H...How?"

"That scan," Akira said, understanding at once. "The NerveGear covers your entire head with a high-density signaling device, so it can see what your face looks like, but our height and body shape..."

"When we first used the NerveGear, it had us calibrate it right?" Izumi remembered. "You had to touch your body all over." Akira swallowed.

"O-Oh...right," She clenched her fists. "That must be where it got the data."

"But...But..." Izumi shook her head furiously. "Why? Why do all this anyway?" Akira pointed at the Game Master still floating above them.

"I'm sure he'll tell us."

"Right now, you're probably wondering, 'why?'" Kayaba said at once, as if he had heard their conversation. "Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do all this? My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason...To create this world and intervene in it. And now, it is complete. This ends, the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch. Good luck, players." And as startlingly as he came, the red liquid that had formed the Game Master retreated back the way he had arrived; with that horrible red substance. The red panels flickered and vanished, and there was silence.

A mirror shattered. Someone screamed.

Panic spread like an infectious wildfire, and screams of terror erupted from the crowd as the people fully realized what was going on. Akira was shunted aside as people surged towards where Kayaba had been, and started panicking. She stared at her shoes, and clenched her fists. _This is real, _She thought with a curse. _The genius who developed the NerveGear and created a totally virtual space, Kayaba Akihiko, I admired him, so I can tell...Everything he just said is true. If I'll die in the game, I will die in real life!_Akira glared at the people around her, and grabbed Izumi's wrist.

"Come with me, Izumi-chan," She whispered, and dragged her into an alleyway, away from the others. She took a deep breath and looked at the blonde. "Listen to me. I'm heading to the next village right now. Come with me." Izumi bit her lip as Akira continued. "If what he said is true, the only way to survive in this world is by making yourself as strong as possible. The resources within a virtual MMORPG, in other words, the money and EXP we can earn, are limited.

"The fields surrounding the Town of Beginnings will soon be hunted clean," Akira continued, bringing up a map of the First Floor of Aincrad. "To do this efficiently, we should head to the next village now." A small path lined out a way to get to the next village on Floor One, and she looked up at Izumi. "I know all the paths and dangerous areas. Even at level one, I can get there safely." The map vanished, and Izumi looked hesitant.

"But...But you know..." The blonde rubbed her arm self-consciously. "I spent a whole night in line to buy this with my friends from the other game. They're out there, in the plaza! I can't leave them." Akira bit her lip, and nodded, understanding Izumi's reasoning. "Sorry," She said suddenly. The redhead, looked up at her friend. "I can hardly ask you for anything else, can I? So don't worry about it. Go to the next village. I used to run a guild in my last game, so I can use what you taught me to get by!"

"Alright," Akira nodded, slightly upset, turning and starting to walk away. "Then let's say goodbye here. If something happens, send me a message.

"Will do!"

"Okay," Akira said, trying to smile. "'Bye, Izumi-chan."

"Akira-chan!" Izumi said as she started to walk away. Akira paused. When Izumi said nothing, the redhead started forwards again, until Izumi spoke. "Hey...Akira-chan. You were actually pretty cute. Not like I'm lesbian or anything, but I kind of like you better as a girl. Makes be feel a little more comfortable being around you." Akira turned, and grinned at Izumi.

"Agreed," She nodded. "And besides, being a blonde suits you much better, not any blonde joke included!" She took off, feet pounding against the cobblestones, and when she looked back, Izumi was gone. She cursed, and took off from the town, running onto the pathway, and not looking back. She passed by equipment shops, and through the fields of green grass. A Dire Wolf appeared in her path, and her hand latched onto the sword strapped to her back.

She unsheathed it, and readied her sword skill, her sword glowing a bright blue. She attacked the wolf and kept going, even after it exploded into fractions of data, promising herself that she was going to survive in SAO.

No matter what.

* * *

><p><strong>So, do you likey the first chappy? I kept referring to Akira as a girl, because heck, Akira IS a girl, but she plays as a boy. <strong>

**DEAL WITH IT.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Switching: When your party member needs you to 'switch' in and take over for them. **

* * *

><p>(Akira's POV)<p>

December 2, 2022

It's been exactly one month since this game started, and so far, 2,000 players have died, and yet nobody has been able to clear the first floor. I was a beta tester, and even I haven't found the boss room within the depths of the dungeon. I've changed my look dramatically. Like all MMORPGS these days, the only clothes they offer for girls are the dresses, so I'm stuck in a white and red dress that reaches down to my thighs. There's a belt that reaches around my waist, and a red jacket over the top of it. On my quests I managed to find a sword that I've got strapped to my back, and to complete the outfit, I have to wear white tights (Ugh...) and scarlet boots.

I cursed slightly as I drew my cloak in tighter around my body. I had made sure that it covered my face, and pulled myself off of the wall. Today, we were having a meeting on how to defeat the first floor boss, which was ridiculous, seeing as we had no idea who or where it was. I made my way down to the duel stadium, and glanced around hopelessly for my older sister, Karissa, Kira, as she was known as. I couldn't see her anywhere, so I chose a seat in the back, next to a kid with brown hair that was slightly untidy at the neckline. He was wearing the usual boy starter-outfit. Maybe he didn't have enough money to upgrade his equipment.

A little ways away from the boy was a raven-haired kid with a ponytail and wearing the same armour as the brown-haired kid, and sitting next to him was a girl that looked strangely familiar. I shook my head. There was no way it was Kira-chan. Around me were the murmurings of people, until somebody called for our attention.

"Alright, lets get started people!" The man called to us. "Thank you for coming today. My name is Diabel. I like to consider my 'job' as a knight!" Everyone cracked up at this, besides me and the boy beside me.

"There's no job system in this game!" Somebody called.

"Then is this meeting a joke," Another jeered.

"You should take this seriously!" Diabel said, scowling, and he suddenly turned serious. "Today, our party found the boss room at the top of the tower." The smiles faded from everyone's faces, and it instantly turned into shock. I frowned.

"Seriously?" Called the brown-haired kid.

"We need to defeat the boss, reach the second floor, and tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game," Diabel listed, his hands clenched. "Everyone present here shares that duty! Do you all agree?" The others present here looked at each other nervously, and both the raven-haired kid and the brunette sighed, resting their chins on their palms, as the other started clapping for some reason. "Alright," Diabel continued. "Then let us began our planning. First, divide into parties of six." The brunette froze as the raven paired up with the girl next to him.

"Of course, we'll be in the same party," He was saying.

"An ordinary party has no chance against a floor boss," Diabel said. "Well need to form a raid group using multiple parties." The brunette glanced around, and slowly spotted me, sitting alone and away from him. I released an irritated sigh. _Honestly..._ He slowly scooted over, and spoke.

"You got left out too?"

I wanted to smack him, but resisted the urge, taking a moment to reply.

"I wasn't left out," I responded. "I just stayed out of it because everyone seemed to know each other already."

"A solo player?" The boy questioned. "Then, want to form a party with me?" I turned my head slightly to glance at him. "He just said we can't beat the boss on our own, so just for this fight?" I hesitated, before nodding, and the boy immersed himself in his menu, coming up with a party invite. I bit my lip before accepting it. He looked confused for a second,before turning back to the meeting.

"Okay, have your formed your parties?" Diabel called to us. "Then-"

"Just a second!"

Someone appeared at the top of the arena, and hopped down to meet Diabel at the center. He hit the ground with a light bump, and glared at all of the players assembled in the stands.

"My name's Kibaou," He said. "I wanna say something before we take on the boss. Some of you here need to apologize to the two thousand who have died so far!" He pointed at the crowd.

"Kibaou-san," Diabel said. "Are you referring to the Beta Testers?" My eyes widened unseen behind the cloak, and my fist clenched slightly on my lap.

"Of course I am!" Kibaou roared. "On the day this stupid game started, the beta guys ditched us beginners, and they all disappeared. They took all the good hunting spots and easy quests for themselves, so only they could get stronger. And then, they just ignored the rest of us. I'm sure someone here was in the beta! They should get on their knees and apologize, and give up all the money and items they've hoarded! Otherwise, we can't trust them to protect us as party members, and they shouldn't trust us!" I swallowed slightly, and my fist clenched slightly tighter, my nails cutting into my skin. Cold sweat ran down my face, and I resisted the urge to run down there and announce that I was a Beta Tester, and tell Kibaou off. I closed my eyes tightly, and only opened them when someone new started talking.

"May I speak?"

A large African man (A/N: If anyone says I'm trying to be racist, well screw you this is in the anime. -_-) stood up from where he was sitting, and strode up to Kibaou, towering over the short man.

"My name is Agil," He said. "Kiabou-san, tell me if I have this right. You're saying that because the Beta Testers didn't take care of them, many beginners died. That they should take responsibility, apologize, and provide compensation. Correct?" Kiabou looked up at Agil, slightly frightened, before his jaw tensed.

"Y-Yeah."

Agil reached into his pocket with an eyebrow raised, and withdrew a small handbook.

"You got this guide book, didn't you?" He asked. "It was provided for free at the item store."

"Sure, I did..." Kiabou said angrily. "Why?"

"It was compiled from information given by the Beta Testers," Agil said. The others seemed genuinely surprised at this news, and I heard a chorus of 'seriously?'. Kiabou grimaced. "Listen," Agil turned to the others. "Everyone had equal access to this information, and even still many players died. I thought the topic of discussion here was what we could learn from their deaths, and how that can help us defeat the boss." Next to me, the boy released a relieved sigh, as did the girl and the raven.

I glanced at the three next to me, and unclenched my fists. I was safe. For now. Meanwhile, Kiabou scowled at Agil, and stomped away, collapsing in a seat, as Agil resumed his spot in the arena. Diabel looked slightly relieved the discussion was over.

"Alright," He called. "Then, can we resume?" When everybody nodded, he continued. "The latest edition of that guide book was just issued, and it contains information on the boss. According to it, the boss's name is Illfang the Kobold Lord. He is guarded by assistants known as the Ruin Kobold Sentinels. He is armed with an axe and a buckler. He has four health bars, and when the last one enters the red, he switches to a curved sword-type weapon called a Talwar. His attack patterns change as well.

"This concludes the briefing," Diabel snapped the guide book shut. "Lastly, all items will be automatically distributed. EXP goes to the party that defeats the monster, and whoever receives an item, keeps it. Any objections?" When nobody said anything, he nodded. "Okay, we leave tomorrow, at ten in the morning. See you there!" As soon as Diabel had stopped speaking, I stood, and left the boy where he was sitting, still lost in his own thoughts.

* * *

><p>Lanterns flickered to life later that night as for some reason, everybody rejoiced. I didn't really know why, I just knew that I didn't belong there, even with the girl that seemed oddly familiar. I sat away from the others as they drank and ate, in an alleyway by myself, forcing down some bread.<p>

"It's pretty tasty isn't it?"

The footsteps I hadn't heard stopped, and a boy's voice jarred me from my thoughts of how I despised that bread. Slightly surprised, I glanced over at whoever had spoken, and realized it was that boy from the meeting earlier.

"May I sit down?"

I turned my head away from him, and he took it as a yes, and sat. I instantly scooted away from him, and he cracked a small smile, which vanished quickly. He dug into his pocket for a second, and took out his own small roll.

"Do you really think it's good?" I asked him.

"Of course," He responded with his mouth full. He swallowed and continued. "I've been eating at least one daily since arriving in this town. I do change it up a little, though."

"Change it up?" I repeated, slightly confused. The boy dug in his pocket, and brought out a small container, and placed it between us.

"Try putting some on the bread," He suggested. I hesitated before tapping the top of the lid with a finger. A small glowing orb appeared around my finger. I gave a small gasp, and raised it to the bread, spreading something over the surface.

"Cream?" I whispered. The boy soon did the same with his bread, and took a bite. I glanced at him, and stared at the bread before taking a hesitant bite. To my surprise, the bread tasted great, instead of hard and stale like it did before. I swallowed and ate the rest of the bread, and gave a small smile.

"It's the reward for a quest called, 'The Heifer Strikes Back', one town behind us," The boy explained, smiling at my reaction. "If you want to do it, I'll show you the trick." I shook my head, and clasped my hands in a tightly furled ball.

"I didn't come to this town to eat good food."

"Then, why did you?"

I didn't think the boy realized how stupid his question sounded, but I decided to answer it anyways.

"So I can still be me."

My voice was quiet, but loud enough for the brunette to hear my every word. He stiffened up, and I could feel his chocolate-brown eyes staring at me.

"I'd rather stay myself until the very end than sit and rot away at an inn, back in the first town," I continued, ignoring him. "Even if I get killed by a monster, I don't want to lose to this game...to this world. No matter what." The boy shifted slightly, and tossed another piece of the bread into his mouth, and chewed.

"I wouldn't want a party member dying on me," He said slyly. "So at the least, don't die tomorrow." I smiled slightly, turning to look at him, and nodding, before standing up, and walking off, not looking back once.

* * *

><p>December 3, 2022<p>

Floor 1: Forest Field

We were hiking through miles of forest, just to get to the dungeon where the boss was. I was walking in the back with my party member. The boy I still didn't know the name of.

"Let's go over it again." He said, and I let out an audible groan of irritation. "We leftovers are supposed to target the boss's helpers, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels."

"I know," I said, obviously aggravated.

"I'll use a sword skill to knock their pole axes up," The brunette continued. "The second I do, switch in."

"Switch?"

I knew I was a Beta Tester, but I never really involved myself in parties. No one I knew was there, and Kira was always hanging out with someone else. It was lonely.

"Is this the first time you've ever been in a party?" The boy asked me, eyes wide. I hesitated, before nodding.

"Yes."

Shocked, he slowed to a stop, until I had walked directly past him. I turned to look at him, and he groaned slightly, and had to explain what switching was. Before I knew it, we had reached the boss's door. Diabel slammed his sword into the dirt, and gave us a reassuring smile.

"Listen up, everyone," He said. "I have only one thing to day. Let's win!" Diabel swung open the heavy doors, everyone's faces set with some sort of grim determination. We walked into the room, on alert in case the boss jumped out of nowhere. The room was dark, and I could hardly see anything. Across the long hallway, a pair of psychotic red eyes burned through the darkness.

The room was suddenly washed in a dream-like glow, illuminating the beautiful yet horrible room, and Illfang the Kobold Lord appeared in all his horrible glory. He leapt through the air, slamming down in front of us with a huge boom. The four HP bars appeared next to his body. The Sentinels appeared soon after he leapt at us, and all four of them charged towards our group. Diabel bit his lip.

"Commence attack!" He yelled, and we all raced forwards towards Illfang and the Sentinels. Kibaou activated his sword skill, and he clashed swords with one of the Sentinels with a shriek.

The fighting was vicious and horrible. I hung in the back with the boy, waiting for our cue to move forwards and start attacking. Diabel cried out orders, telling people to switch.

"Squad A! Squad C! Switch!" Diabel yelled, and frowned as Illfang raised his sword. "Here it comes! Squad B! Block!" Illfang swung with his buckler at us, and he was quickly blocked by the others. Diabel continued screaming orders. "Squad C, keep guarding and prepare to switch. Now! Switch, draw, and prepare to attack from the other side! Squads D, E, and F, keep the Sentinels off of us!"

"Roger!"

That was the boy and I. He rushed forwards, and attacked a Sentinel, and turned to me.

"Switch!" He yelled, and as if my feet were moving of their own accord, I dashed forwards, engaging in a battle with one of the Sentinels. I activated a mint-green sword skill, and blasted the Sentinels backwards, and slamming him into the ground. He exploded into small fractions of data.

Illfang roared, and I glanced up at him. His final HP bar had entered the red zone. He flung his buckler and shield aside, snarling angrily at everyone.

"Looks like that information was right," Kibaou said with a smirk.

"Stand back!" Diabel said, and rushed forwards, sword and shield drawn. "I'll go!" He activated a golden Sword Skill, and Illfang drew his next weapon.

Problem was, it wasn't a Talawar.

It was a No-Dachi.

It wasn't the same as the beta test. I turned and opened my mouth to stop Diabel, but the boy's voice startled me from saying anything.

"No!" He yelled. "Jump back as fast as you can!" Diabel ignored his warning and charged forwards, sword skill at the ready. Illfang leapt into the air before he could get close, and he jumped from pillar to pillar in the room, coming down with a horrible slash on Diabel's side. The 'knight' cried out in pain, and flew through the air, slamming down onto his back, and skidding a couple of feet.

"Diabel-kun!" I yelled, and spun around as the boy ran towards him, taking out a potion. I couldn't focus on what was happening, until Illfang threw us all to the ground. I watched in horror as Diabel uttered his last words.

"For everyone."

He exploded in a torrent of data shards, and they vanished. The boy's eyes widened in shock, and he stared at the place where Diabel had fallen. I didn't have long to be shocked at what he had done; Illfang roared again, and I got up, running to my party member.

"I'll go too."

"Thanks," He said, and we rushed forwards. "We'll do it just like the Sentinels!" The brunette yelled, sword at the ready.

"Got it," I nodded, and raised my own sword, as Illfang tossed aside a player. He noticed us and his No-Dachi started glowing white. The boy responded with his own bright blue sword skill, and he parried the blow, the force knocking him backwards. Then, he looked to me.

"Switch!"

I jumped, the sword glowing with an attack of my own. Illfang's eyes flashed open, and the boy screamed my name.

"Akira!"

I reacted at the mention of my player name, and ducked as the boss swung at me, ripping off the cloak I had been using. I glared up at Illfang, and activated another sword skill, and pressed it into the boss's stomach, blasting him back several hundred yards. I could feel everyone's eyes burning into my back, but at the moment, I didn't really care.

"He's coming back!" The boy yelled, and pulled himself to his feet. He sprinted forwards, sword colliding with Illfang's No-Dachi. I followed up with a hard blow to his stomach, again. Readying for the blow that was sure to come, I kept my sword at the ready, until the boy came in out of nowhere, blocking his attack, and the No-Dachi careening back to it's user.

Illfang growled, and activated a pink sword skill, slashing downwards at the boy, who parried with a yell, but the boss managed to get his sword completely horizontal from the brunette's body. His eyes widened. If he tried to block, he wouldn't make it in time.

"Crap!"

His sword collided with the boy's stomach, sending him rocketing into me. We collided with the ground, and I attempted to get up, my hand resting on his back. I watched as his HP bar went down from full, to the yellow zone as the boy attempted to get up. A shadow loomed over us as we attempted to get up. It was Illfang. He activated a red sword skill, and I raised my sword, hoping to block the attack, but instead, someone else blocked it with a green sword skill.

It was Agil.

The other raid group members charged forwards, hurtling at the fat lizard monster with everything they had.

"We'll hold him off until you recover," Agil promised.

"You're..." The boy managed, but never got to finish. Agil shot off, raising his wand-like weapon as the others attacked with vigor. Illfang managed to fend them all off, and threw each player to the ground. He leapt into the air, and the boy stumbled to his feet. "Watch out!" He yelled, and activated a sword skill, leaping into the air. "I'll get you first!" He yelled, and his sword collided with the back of Illfang, who crashed to the floor. The hit the ground with a light bump, rolling and starting to run as I got up.

"Akira!" He called my name. "One last hit! We'll do it together!"

"Roger!" I nodded, taking up my sword and sprinting towards Illfang. I quickly caught up to the brunette, and we activated our sword skills together with a defiant yell. We switched off attacking him, his HP reaching a dangerously low red.

The boy activated another sword skill, jamming his sword into Illfang's stomach, and pulling upwards, slicing his stomach open. I was glad on the inside that there wasn't any blood in this game, just data underneath the skin. I sliced again at Illfang's body, pushing into the data, and slicing upwards towards his head. Together, we pushed his back with the strength of our attacks, and Illfang started glowing, before exploding.

There was silence for a moment, before a giant sign appeared in front of us, ('[Congratulations!' It read) and everybody broke into a huge cheer. I stayed behind the celebrations and watched as the boy knelt at the floor, panting. The room went dark around us again, but it wasn't nearly as bad as last time. I finally got up the courage to walk up to him.

"Good work," I complemented. Agil stood beside me, and he was smiling warmly at the boy.

"That was excellent swordsmanship," He agreed. "Congratulations. This victory belongs to you."

"No..." The boy's voice was soft, but the others started clapping, giving him the victory. This didn't encourage a smile onto his face. In fact, his face remained blank.

"Why?"

Kiabou's voice stopped the cheering, and everyone turned to look at him.

"Why...Why did you let Diabel die?" Kiabou's voice was delicately laced with pain of losing his friend.

"Let him die?" The boy repeated, confused.

"Of course!" Kiabou said, comprehension dawning on his expression. "You knew that technique the boss used! If you'd told us about that up front, he wouldn't have died!" Everyone became quiet at these words, and I turned to look at the boy, whose back was turned to me. I narrowed my eyes, realizing something. Another person did too.

"He must be a beta tester!" Someone yelled. "That's how he knew all of the boss's attack patterns. He knew, but he didn't tell us! Other beta testers are here too, right? Come out!" My fists clenched at my sides as the boy didn't move. Everyone glanced at each other, and Agil's questioning eyes looked at me. He knew I was a beta tester too, I could tell. He didn't say anything, but continued looking around, like everyone else did.

"Hey, come on..." Agil went up to Kiabou and his friends. We were about to start fighting, when someone started laughing. I turned, and realized it was the boy. He slowly stopped laughing as everyone turned to look at him.

"A beta tester?" He got up, smirking. "I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies."

"W-What?" Kibaou stammered. The boy's smirk widened, and he started towards us.

"Most of the thousand beta testers were beginners who didn't even know how to level up," He said, striding through the raid group. "You guys are better than they are. But...I'm not like them." He stopped right in front of Kiabou, still smirking, putting his hand on his hip. "I made it higher than anyone else during the beta test. The reason I knew the boss's skills is because I fought monsters with katana skills on floors far above us. I know a lot more. Way more than any information broker."

"W-What?" Kiabou said again. "That's...That's way worse than a beta tester! You're cheating! A cheater!" A chorus of people screaming, 'Cheater!' arouse around me, and I clenched my fists, glaring at them all. If this how people felt about beta testers...

"A beta tester and a cheater," Someone said. "A beater!"

"Beater..." The boy repeated. "I like it." The others shut up, out of shock as he continued. "That's right...I am a beater." He immersed himself in his menu, going through his equipment. "From now on...don't confuse me with the other testers." He selected something, before a midnight-black cloak appeared on his player. It fluttered around his ankles for a second, and he turned to Kiabou, chuckled, and walked off. He was almost at the door when I ran after him.

"Wait."

His foot stopped, resting on a stair above him.

"You called my name while we were fighting," I remembered.

"Sorry for using just your first name," He said softly, and turned his head slightly to look at me. "Or did I mess up the pronunciation?"

"Where did you learn it?" I demanded. I knew this was kind of a silly question, but I had never been in a party before.

"You can see another HP gauge below yours, around here, right?" He raised his hand, pointing to what I assumed was his own HP. "Isn't something written underneath it?" I narrowed my eyes, glancing up at my heath bar. Underneath it was another name.

"Tadashi..." I said slowly. "Tadashi? Is that your name?"

"Yeah."

I couldn't help but start to giggle slightly.

"Oh, it's been there all this time," I said, lightly chiding myself.

"You'll be really strong," Tadashi promised me, a slight smile creeping over his lips. "So, if someone you trust ever invites you to join a guild, join them. There's a big limit to what you can do as a solo player."

"Then, what about you?" I asked him. He didn't respond. He just continued up the stairs as if he hadn't heard my question. When he reached the top of them, he scrolled down the menu, and disbanded the party. Tadashi's heath bar disappeared from under mine, and the doors opened slowly before the brunette. He walked through them, and disappeared from my sight.

* * *

><p><strong>And there's the introduction to Tadashi. <strong>

**That was my first SAO battle scene...how did I do? O_O**


	3. Chapter 3

**YES. You finally get to hear a bit of Kira/Karissa in this story. YES she is in SAO, and YES she was the person Akira was all like 'No it ain't her' xD**

**I'm very sleep deprived, so my author's note may be...a little loopy...**

**Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss...**

**Plus I don't reccomend watching the video...it will make your eyes hurt, but I do reccomend listening to it while reading this chapter of awesomeness... *Yawns* I've got to stop falling asleep at like four AM and getting up at Five for school...**

* * *

><p>(Kira's POV)<p>

April 8th, 2023

11th Floor-Taft

One full freaking year.

One year full of death, fighting, and just plain torture. I regret even BUYING Sword Art Online, even if I'm actually having a little bit of fun...Earlier I actually managed to save an entire guild from some Blood Wolf pack with this guy I can't get rid of. His name is Kichirou, and sure, he's a strong guy, but sometimes slows me down in boss fights.

I leaned back in my seat, as cries of congratulations echoed around me. Kichirou was kind of shocked, despite his usual calm and collected appearance. He wore a blue cloak draped around his shoulders, which nearly matched his raven-colored hair pulled back in a ponytail. He wore a blue and brown camouflage bandanna, wrapped around his head, and tied underneath the ponytail. He wore nearly all blue armor, with the exception of black fingerless gloves and brown combat boots.

"Let's raise our cups to our guild, Black Cats of the Night!"

A voice viciously jarred me from my thoughts, and I glanced up towards the five people surrounding Kichirou and I. They raised their glasses filled to the brim with various drinks.

"Cheers!"

I blinked as a member of the guild continued talking.

"And a toast to the two we owe our lives to, Kira-san, and Kichirou-san!"

"Cheers!"

Again the cups were raised, and I was slightly too stunned to say anything. I knew it was a matter of time before we were mentioned, but their generosity of it all was slightly overwhelming. Kichirou was the only one of us who managed anything.

"Ch-Cheers..."

This appeared to be good enough for the guild as they all beamed at us with obvious respect. They suddenly started talking to us like we were idols or something.

"Thanks!"

"You saved our behinds!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"It's no big deal!" I said instantly in response.

"I was scared out of my mind," The only girl in the guild said. "So I was very relieved when you came to help us!"

"I-I see," Kichirou said, and blinked. The leader of the group, Keita, I remembered, leaned in.

"Um, Kira-san, Kichirou-san," He whispered. "I know it's rude of me to ask, but what level are you two?"

"Level twenty or so," I responded, stomping on Kichirou's foot to keep him from saying anything. I set down my glass as Keita smiled.

"That's about the same as us," He said. "I can't believe your running solo." I glanced quickly up at my health bar, and bit my lip. I wasn't, 'level twenty or so'. In reality, I was actually level forty.

"No need to be so polite, Keita," Kichirou sighed. "We may be solo players, but I at least only go after the lone enemies. It's not very efficient."

"Oh, okay," Keita said. "Hey, I know I'm asking this out of the blue, but why don't you two join our guild? The only player we have that can handle being a forward is Tetsuo, a mace wielder." He smiled reassuringly, and patted the only girl in the guild on the head. "This is Sachi. I was thinking of switching her over to a one-handed sword and shield build, so she could be a forward too. It doesn't look like she's got the feel of it yet, though. I was wondering if one of you could coach her a little."

"Jeez, why are you treating me like I'm useless?" Sachi demanded, her grip tightening on the cup. "Besides, it'd be way too scary if you made me fight close-range all of the sudden."

"You can always hide behind your shield!" Tetsuo said with a laugh.

"I swear, you've always been such a scaredy-cat!" Keita sighed. Sachi's expression twisted, and she glared at the others, letting out an exasperated sigh. The guild chuckled. "Well, everyone in this guild is part of the school's computer club back in the real world," Keita continued. "But don't worry, I'm sure you'll fit in with us in no time! Right?" He looked to the other guild members, who nodded.

"Right!"

Kichirou and I glanced around at the guild members. Sachi gave us a reassuring smile, and I clenched my fists on the table.

"Okay. I guess I'm in. What about you Kichirou-kun?"

"Same here," Kichirou nodded. "We're glad to be here." The guild cheered and surrounded us, congratulating and clapping us on the back.

"Glad to meet ya!" One said. "I'm Sasamaru!"

"Thanks!"

"Let's get 'em!"

I sighed inwardly. Now what have I gotten us into?!

* * *

><p>May 9th 2023<p>

20th Floor-Sunshine Forest

Staying back with my weapon at the ready, I watched Tetsuo slash at the giant praying mantis, called a Killer Mantis. Sachi bit her lip, obviously afraid, which was apparent from the bead of sweat clinging to her temple. The Killer Mantis roared at her and she gave out a small scream. Sasamaru jabbed at it's head with his spear, forcing the monster back. The Killer Mantis jabbed at Sachi with its scissor arm, and she screamed, cowering behind her shield. I ran towards her, sword at the ready.

"Sachi!" I ordered. "Fall back!" The Mantis readied its blade again, bringing it down towards Sachi. I activated a sword skill, slicing off it's arm. It dropped to the ground and seconds later, exploded. It attempted to attack me with it's other scissor arm, but I blocked it with a slash of my sword. "Tetsuo! Switch!" I yelled.

"Okay!"

Tetsuo sprinted forwards, and closed his eyes tightly, as he activated a pink sword skill, slicing through the Mantis' middle. It's body exploded into data fractions, and the result screen popped up. A grin spread over my face as I realized that Tetsuo had leveled up.

'Congratulations! LV up! Tetsuo: 22-23'

Tetsuo threw up his hands in celebration, and Keita and Ducker came to congratulate him.

"Score!" Tetsuo cheered.

"Wow!" Ducker grinned.

"Grats!"

"You did it!"

I smiled, and sheathed my sword, walking over to Kichirou. He sighed, looking at me.

"How long are we going to do this?" He asked. I pretended like I didn't hear him as I watched the others crowd around Tetsuo. Truth was, I didn't know how long we were going to pretend being like the others. We didn't fit in, and it was quite obvious.

* * *

><p>A while later, we were sitting at the banks of the river, the remains of lunch sitting beside us. My food, however, remained untouched, and sat beside me. Keita was lying on the soft grass, holding up the newspaper, which headlines read: 'Front Liner's Clear the 28th floor! -Once again zero casualties-'<p>

"So the Front Liners cleared the 28th floor?" Keita said. "That's amazing. Say, Kira, what makes the front liners so different from us?" I glanced up at Keita and sighed, taking a bite from the odd bread-like things, which were surprisingly good.

"Probably all the info they've amassed," I replied. "They know how to accumulate EXP more efficiently, but keep it all to themselves." Keita sighed and let his arms fall, flopping them on the ground.

"Yeah, I can see that..." He said, closing his eyes, and releasing the newspaper. He folded his arms, and a slight scowl crossed his expression. "I think it's the willpower though

"Willpower?" I repeated, looking slightly skeptical. A grin spread across Keita's face as he pulled himself up, and stared across the river to the village.

"I guess it's more like the will to protect your allies-no, every player here," He said finally, and Kichirou glanced up to us. "We're the ones being protected right now, but our feelings are just as strong as theirs. Of course, ensuring the safety of our comrades comes first, but I still want to join the front liners someday." I nodded in understanding, glancing at Ducker, Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Sachi all on a brick wall, listening to our conversation.

"Yeah, I get it," I said.

"'Willpower' huh?" Ducker said, dropping down from the wall. "'Sup, Leader! That was so cool!" He grabbed onto Keita, forcing him into a headlock.

"Hey!" Keita protested, attempting to break free. Sachi, Sasamaru, and Tetsuo dropped down from the wall as well, walking over to us.

"So," Tetsuo teased. "We'll be joining ranks with the Divine Dragon Alliance and the Blue Lightning?"

"Come on, we should aim higher than that!" Keita protested, taking hold of Ducker's arm, and tugging. "We should start by getting everyone to level thirty."

"You're kidding!" Sachi protested. I smiled, and turned to Kichirou, and lowered my voice so they couldn't hear us.

"If the Black Cats can quickly level up to the point where they can join the front lines, Keita's ideals might influence the insular mindset of the Front Liners."

"Yeah, maybe," He leaned back slightly, throwing his head back so he could look at the sky. I sighed, pretending to look down at the grass, but in reality, cursing the fact that I was level 48, and not down in the twenties with the others.

* * *

><p>A while later, we were back in an inn, where Keita had called a team meeting in his inn room. We sat on the beds as everyone turned their attention to the Guild Leader.<p>

"I've got good news for everyone!" Ketia said. "Today's hunt netted us 200,000 coll!" The others gave gasps of surprise, delight spreading across their expressions.

"We might be able to buy the house of our dreams pretty soon!" Tetsuo said happily.

"Hey, why don't we upgrade Sachi's equipment?" Sasamaru called.

"Yeah," Keita agreed, looking at the girl in question, who immediately looked uncomfortable.

"It's fine!" Sachi protested. "I'll manage with what I have."

"Just do it!" Sasamaru said. "Kira and Kichirou shouldn't have to aggro the monsters all the time."

"Sorry..."

Sachi sighed, and stared at her clasped hands in her lap. I winced slightly. It had to be hard, being pushed around like that by others. That was why I was always so violent back in the real world.

"I don't mind," I assured her. "So, no worries. What about you, Kichirou-kun?"

"Same here," He said, his chin resting in his palm.

"Thanks, Kira, Kichirou," Keita said. "Sachi, I know switching builds is tough, but you'll figure it out soon enough. Let's all do our best!"

"Okay," Sachi nodded, but a shadow crossed her face, obviously showing that something was still bothering her.

* * *

><p>It was late. Very late by my count, but I couldn't sleep, despite being exhausted from today's events. I got up from bed, changing from my pajamas to my usual outfit, deciding that I'd better take a walk. Opening the door to my inn room, I stepped outside, and descended the stairs, not bothering to be quiet. Nobody could hear me, unless they had a ridiculously high hearing skill.<p>

I sighed, opening the door to the inn, and stepping outside.

* * *

><p>May 16th, 2023<p>

28th floor-Wolf Plains

I had been walking for nearly an hour, and had long since left the town behind me. I breathed out a sigh, as I walked, my breath freezing and hanging in the air. For May, it was pretty chilly at night.

As I walked, I became aware of barking and growling. Glancing down the slope, I caught a glimpse of a Blood Wolf Leader, and an all too familiar face.

"Haruki?" I murmured, noticing the raven hair, the red and black armor, and brown combat boots. He looked significantly like Kichirou, but didn't seem to know him. I had met Haruki the Launching Day of SAO, and showed him the basics, and he seemed to be getting along just fine, from the way he was attacking the Blood Wolf Leader with the rest of his guild. He activated a pink sword skill, slicing through the Leader, who exploded seconds later. Harui sheathed his sword, and glanced up, his eyes fixing on me.

"Hey, if it isn't Kira!" He said with a grin, before turning to his guild. "Guys, take care of those pups!"

"Sure!"

Haruki hurried up the slope towards me, a smile lighting up his face.

"It's been ages since I've last saw you!" He called. "So, you do your leveling up in the middle of the night?" I rolled my eyes and he laughed, before noticing something. "That icon...Is that for a guild?" I looked away at my feet, releasing a sigh.

"Yeah, it is" I responded.

"Hey, let's find another pack!" One of Haruki's guild members called. He glanced at them, and I started walking again.

"Bye."

I walked past him without saying a word, feeling slightly guilty at the hurt expression on Haruki's face.

"See ya," He said, frowning. "Geez. Is it still eating at her?"

* * *

><p>I had walked for another hour or so, before deciding that I'd better head back to the inn before dawn. I had barely teleported back to the town, before I received a message. Clicking on it, I frowned slightly as I read.<p>

_This is Keita._

_Sachi went out and hasn't come back. _  
><em>We're going to look for her in the labyrinth. <em>  
><em>Please let us know if you find out anything.<em>

I closed the message and clenched my fists.

"Sachi..."

Bringing down my menu, I went through it, finding my list of friends. Scrolling down through it, I selected Sachi's name, and then hit trace. Looking up, I found footprints leading down an alleyway, that undoubtedly led to Sachi. I turned, and ran towards them, following the ghostly footprints to a river. Going down the steps, I turned, and saw Sachi huddled up in a small ball, pressed up to the wall underneath a bridge.

"Sachi!" I called her name, and she looked up, noticing me.

"Kira," She said softly.

"Everyone's worried about you," I said, and Sachi turned away, looking down at the rushing water. I walked towards her and sat down, hopefully at a safe enough distance.

"Hey...Kira," Sachi said. "Let's run away."

"Run away?" I said, confused. "From what?"

"From this town, from these monsters, from the Black Cats," She responded, chewing on her lower lip. "From Sword Art Online." I froze, hoping I misunderstood her.

"You...You want to commit double suicide?!"

To my surprise, she gave a little laugh.

"I wouldn't mind that either."

I swallowed, and wanted to instantly run away, but I sat there, trying to keep my cool. Sachi suddenly shook her head.

"Sorry. That was a lie," She said. "If I had the courage to die, I wouldn't be hiding in the safety of this town." I sighed, as Sachi continued. "Hey, why can't we get out of here? It's just a game, so why do we have to die for real? What's the meaning of all this?"

"There probably isn't any," I responded, finally relaxing. There was a moment of silence as we both stared at the rushing river.

"I'm...afraid of dying," Sachi said finally. I took in a sharp breath, looking at her.

"Your afraid of dying?" I repeated. She nodded.

"I've been so scared that I haven't able to sleep lately!" She said, sounding close to tears.

"You're not going to die," I promised her, saying without thinking.

"Really? How do you know that?" She asked me, finally turning her head to look at me.

"The Black Cats are a pretty strong guild," I admitted, leaning back, staring at the stars. "We've built up quite a margin for safety too. We also have Tetsuo and I, so there's no need to force you to fight up front."

"Are you sure I'm not going to die?" Sachi said, her voice quivering. "Will I return to the real world someday?"

"Yeah, you won't die," I assured her. "You'll live to see the day we clear this game." She looked up from her knees, and stared at me with wide eyes, meeting my gaze. A smile finally spread over her face, and a single tear slid down her cheek, splattering on the cold stone.

* * *

><p>It had been a few days since Sachi and I had our talk underneath the stars, and I could tell she was still scared of dying. I tried to keep her out of the way of the monsters when we trained, but still was worried if she was really going to die or not.<p>

I mused over this as I immersed myself in my menu before going to bed that night. It had to be hard, being the only girl in the guild before me, and the fact that you're doing something you don't want to do. I sighed, clicking on my equipment, before hearing a soft knock at my door. Turning, my menu disappeared and I looked at the door.

"Come in!" I called, and the door creaked open, revealing Sachi. She was clutching a pillow close to her chest and wearing a soft night gown.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep," She said, and I blinked. _Still?_ I thought. _I would think that after our talk, she would have better luck at sleeping..._

"It's okay," I said. "If you want, you can sleep with me tonight, if that'll help."

"Yeah," She said with a smile. "That'll help a lot, actually. Thank you."

* * *

><p>Now I couldn't sleep. I was very much aware of Sachi curled up next to me, her soft breathing attempting to lull me to sleep. It wasn't working, as I was still wide awake. I sighed, glancing back at her for a second. <em>This guild will keep you safe. You'll return to the real world someday. There are probably a lot of other players who are scared of dying, just like you. But they still laugh, cry, and try their best to survive in this world. Such thoughts have never crossed my mind...<em>

"Kira?"

Sachi's voice jarred me out of my thoughts and I turned to face her, knowing exactly what to say.

"Don't worry, you'll survive," I promised her. She smiled, and nestled into her pillow, and falling asleep again. The smile dropped from my face, and I released a mute sigh. _I'll definitely protect you guys,_ I thought, reaching up, and clenching my fists.

* * *

><p>"Alright, I'm going out for a bit! Teleport! Town of Beginnings!"<p>

We stood the next morning at the center of town, watching as Keita disappeared into a large blue portal. A grin spread over Samamaru's face as he bounced on the balls of his feet in anticipation.

"So, we're finally getting our own home?" He said. "I've never been so moved!"

"Quit acting like an old man!" Ducker chided, lightly punching Sasamaru, and the others started laughing. Kichirou and I hung in the back of the group, as usual, ignoring the conversation.

"Hey," Tetsuo said. "Let's go farm some coll while Keita's buying the house."

"Oh, are we buying furniture?" Sachi said excitedly.

"Why don't we go to a labyrinth in one of the higher floors?" Ducker suggested. I frowned, as did Kichirou. We both knew that they weren't ready for the higher-level enemies.

"What's wrong with our usual hunting grounds?" Kichirou asked.

"We can earn money quicker on a higher floor," Sasamaru explained.

"Our levels should be high enough for that by now," Ducker agreed. I bit my tongue to keep from retorting, and put a hand on Kichirou's shoulder to keep him from doing the same.

"Let's go then!" Sachi cheered, and we set off for the labyrinth.

* * *

><p>June 12th 2023<p>

27th Floor-Labyrinth

"See, it's a cakewalk!" Sasumaru said as we walked through the winding corridors. "We'll be joining the front liners in no time!"

"Totally!" Ducker agreed.

We had spent nearly an hour in the labyrinth, challenging any enemy we spotted, and defeating it. It was easy for Kichirou and I, being the levels that we were, but for the others, it wasn't a 'cakewalk' like Sasamaru said. In reality, the Black Cats were having a hard time with these enemies. We continued walking, before Ducker came upon a strange symbol in one of the blocks. He put his hand on it, and it started glowing, materalizing a minute later into a steel doorway.

_A hidden door?_ I looked at Kichirou, whose face displayed the shock I felt. _Here?_ I watched as Ducker opened the door, and stepped inside. His expression was overcome with delight as he raced towards a treasure chest, conveniently placed inside.

"A treasure chest!" He cheered. "Oh snap!" The others followed his lead, but Sachi stayed by Kichirou and I's side as we took a step into the room.

"W-Wait!" I yelled as Ducker squatted before the chest, and opened it. Almost instantly, an alarm went off, and the door slammed shut. The walls opened up, revealing an entire horde of Dark Dwarf Miners, while Mineral Elementals spawned around them.

"It's a trap!" Kichirou yelled.

"Well no dip," I drew my sword, and heard the others do the same. "We're getting out of here!" Ducker pulled out his teleport crystal, and raised it above his head.

"Teleport!" He yelled. "Taft!" After a second of waiting, nothing happened. He tried again. "Teleport! Taft!" Again, nothing happened.

"The crystals won't work!" Sachi said, her voice quivering.

"We're in a crystal nullification area," I told her, when the Dark Dwarf Miners charged. I slashed with my sword, shoving one aside, battling the others. Ducker wasn't as lucky. He was thrown to the ground by another Dwarf, and looked up as a shadow crossed his body. He screamed as they came down upon him with their pickaxes. His HP dropped to zero, and his body exploded. I gasped, biting back my sob, and sliced an Elemental in half. It turned into data squares as more advanced upon me.

Sasamaru and Tetsuo were afraid. It was evident from their expressions as they fought off Dwarfs and Elementals alike. Tetsuo was attacked by several Elementals at once, and also met his doom.

"Tetsuo!" Sasamaru yelled, distracted. "Darn it!" He jabbed his spear into an Elemental's stomach, but froze as it raised it's arm. Sasamaru yelled as he too was killed. I was forced to fend off the monsters, as Kichirou was surrounded. I knew he could handle himself, as Sachi was my main concern.

Activating sword skill after sword skill, I destroyed the Elementals and Dwarfs as they came upon me, slowly making my way towards Sachi. I spotted her fending off one of the Elementals with Sasamaru's spear.

"Sachi!" I yelled, destroying another wave of monsters.

"Kira!" She yelled, finally pushing the Elemental off of her. Another one closed in on her, and she fought against it.

"Sachi!" I screamed her name again, running towards her with my arm outstretched, hoping to grab her. She managed to fight off another Elemental, but a third closed in on her as she reached out towards me, hoping to take my hand. I gave a strangled gasp as the Elemental slashed across her back. She took a step forwards, her face clouded. She dropped her weapon as her HP dropped to zero. I kept running hoping to save her.

As she fell, she said something to me, but her words were lost in the beating of my heart as I ran. I was almost there, before her form flickered, and exploded, leaving her data fragments to vanish.

* * *

><p>December 24th, 2023<p>

49th Floor-Mujen

Christmastime had rolled in again, and it would have been more enjoyable, if Sachi's death wasn't still fresh. Fresh to me at least.

It had been five months since her death, and I still couldn't let go of it. I felt like it was my fault, despite Kichirou's many attempts of cheering me up.

I was sitting alone in the center of the Town of Mujen while Kichirou was out who knows where getting who knows what.

"Seems like you've been doing too much leveling up," Commented an Information Broker who randomly sidled up to the bench I was sitting on.

"You got any new info for me?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"Nothing I can charge for," She sighed.

"And you call yourself an information broker," I snapped.

"It's the first event that wasn't part of the beta!" The Information Broker, Argo, said. "I couldn't get much info." I sighed, looking up at the snow gently falling from the heavens. "The event boss, Nicholas the Renegade, will show up late tonight on Christmas Eve. He'll spawn under a certain fir tree. Even the elite guilds are searching tirelessly for him." I stood up, slightly anxious to get away from Argo. "You know what I'm talking about, right?" She asked me.

"Yeah," I replied, walking away.

"Are you really going to try and solo him?" Argo called after me. I didn't respond, but surrendered myself to the torrent of people, hoping to find Kichirou, which on the inside, I really didn't want to. I decided in the end to head back to the inn, meeting him there.

* * *

><p>When I arrived, I closed the door next to me, readying my clothes for something more appropriate, if I was really to solo Nicholas. I sighed as I searched through my menu, thinking of Sachi.<p>

_Reviving somebody isn't possible in this world, but there's a rumor that Nicholas the Renegade will drop an item that can revive a player._ I got rid of my regular black cloak, replacing it with another black one that had white fuzz on the inside. I took out my sword, and it vanished, and I replaced it with a heavier, more powerful one. Sheathing it I sighed. _If I solo him, I'll probably die. I'll die a meaningless death where nobody will see me._

I closed my eyes, remembering when I had to tell Keita that I was a beta tester. A Beater. He was distraught to know of his comrades death, and even more so to discover my status. I sighed, thinking of his words.

"A Beater like you had no right to get involved with us!" He had yelled at me, clutching a key ring in his hand, that undoubtedly led to the house he had bought. When I didn't respond, he cursed me and stood on the railing overlooking the sky that surrounded Aincrad. I realized what he was doing, and tried to stop him, but it was too late. Keita leaned forwards, and fell, and was lost from my sight.

_That's right,_ I thought biting back my tears. _I...and my arrogance killed you guys. If I hadn't concealed my true level..._ I stood up, and left the inn, making my way towards the forest that Nicholas was supposed to spawn in. My feet made soft crunching sounds in the snow as I walked, and I released a sigh. _Even if I do managed to defeat Nicholas, I can bring back Sachi's spirit and finally hear her last words. No matter how angry her words may be, I have to accept them._

* * *

><p>35th Floor<p>

Forest of Disorientation

I cursed as I ran off into the woods. I wasn't only cursing myself, I was cursing the cold pressing in around me, and the fact that I was ignorant enough to think that I could fit in with anyone.

I ran through a portal, appearing in a clearing. I kept running, before I heard a portal open behind me. I skidded to a stop, sending snow everywhere. I looked at who had arrived, tense and ready to attack, when I realized it was Haruki and his friends.

"Hey," He called towards me.

"So, you followed me?" I said, slightly irritated.

"Ch'Yeah," Haruki grinned. "You looking for the revival item?"

"Yeah."

I turned towards him. The smile slid from Haruki's face and was replaced by concern.

"Don't risk your life over something that's probably total bull," He told me. "This is a real game of death you know! Once your HP hits zero your brain in the real world will-" Nearly shaking with anger, I cut across him.

"Shut up."

Haruki did as I instructed him to, but only for a second.

"Don't try to solo him! It's nuts!" He yelled. "Join up with us! The revival item will go to whoever gets the drop, so there'll be no hard feelings."

"That's meaningless to me," I said, my breath steamy mist in the air as I took hold of my sword. "I have to do it alone." Haruki's guild readied their weapons, but he threw out a hand to stop them.

"Look, I'm not going to let you die here!" Haruki protested. "Kira!" I drew my sword slightly as around me, people started appearing.

"Looks like you were followed too, Haruki," I commented as his guild closed in ranks around me.

"Yeah, looks like it," Haruki said, drawing his sword.

"The Divine Dragons?!" One of Haruki's guild members gasped.

"They're willing to do anything to get their hands on a rare item," Another commented. "What now?" My grip tightened on my sword.

"I'll..." I tensed slightly. Haruki readied his weapon.

"Go, Kira!" He yelled.

"Haruki?"

"Get moving! We'll hold them off!"

I released my sword, and turned, taking off into the woods. I kept running, hearing the battle fade behind me. I didn't run back though. I had to find Nicholas, before he spawned, and then left.

I finally stopped running near a fir tree, that looked unnaturally blue in the night. I slowed my pace to a stand-still, and stared up at it, just as the midnight clock rang. I heard the sound of bells, and two blue lights streaked across the sky. A moment later, Nicholas the Renegade dropped from the inky darkness, and hit the ground, sending snow flying everywhere.

He shuddered, like he was getting the feel of his body, and his four health bars appeared by his head. I drew my sword, smirking.

"You're noisy," I said softly. Nicholas raised his axe, and brought it down, while I charged forwards with a defiant scream.

* * *

><p>The battle lasted over in an hour, and I was victorious.<p>

I walked back to Haruki's Guild, more depressed than when I started looking for Nicholas. I strode up to Haruki, the revival item clutched in my hand.

"Kira!" Haruki called my name, obviously relieved. I didn't respond, but simply tossed him the item. "H-Hey..." He said.

"That's the revival item," I said, tonelessly. Haruki tapped on it, and a menu popped up. He frowned, going through it's stats.

"Let's see..." He said. "The player must be revived...Within ten seconds?!"

"Use that on the next person that dies in front of you," I said, and with that, I turned, and walked away. Before I could go far though, Haruki grabbed onto my shoulder, stopping me.

"Kira," He said. "Hey, Kira! You...You have to live on! Live on to the end! Live!" Tears slid down his cheeks, and his grip slacked, releasing me. I continued walking without a backwards glance, and made it back to the inn without anyone else confronting me.

I sat down in the desk by the bed, and buried my face in my arms, disappointment and anger welling up inside of my heart. I hated this. I hated my life, I hated Kayaba Akihiko, and most of all, I hated Sword Art Online. I was about to fall asleep, when I heard an annoying beeping sound. A message. I looked up, and clicked on it, thinking it was from Kichirou. What I saw surprised me.

'Gift Box-From Sachi'

"Sachi?" I breathed, clicking on the screen. A recorder floated towards me, and I caught it in my palm, where it sat there, hovering inches above my hand. I hesitated before tapping it. It came to life, yellow particles gathering in the middle, forming Sachi's voice.

"Merry Christmas, Kira," Sachi said. "If your hearing this message, I'm probably already dead. How should I begin? Well...To tell you the truth, I never wanted to leave the Town of Beginnings. But I know if I continue to fight while feeling this way, my death will be inevitable. That's nobody's fault but mine. Ever since that night you've told me over and over again that won't die. So, if I die, you'll probably try to shoulder all the blame. That's why I'm recording this.

"Actually, I've always known how strong you really are. One time, I accidently snuck a peek. After thinking long and hard, I still don't understand why you're hiding your true level while fighting with us. But, I was overjoyed to learn that you're really strong. It really put me at ease. So, even if I die, please do your best to live on. See how this world will end, and find out why it was created. Find out why scaredy-cats like me are here, and the meaning behind our having met. That is my wish. I have a lot of time left. Well, since it's Christmas, I'll hum a little tune."

Even as Sachi started humming, it still filled me with grief. I clenched my fists on the table, letting the recorder just float there, letting Sachi's voice flow over me. My vision was clouded with the tears that dropped onto the wooden desk, my breathing fast and shallow.

"I'll see you Kira," Sachi finished off. "I'm really glad we met and spent time together. Thank you. Farewell."

It suddenly became clear to me what Sachi's last words were. She had thanked me, bid me farewell, and died. It didn't help the overflow of emotions as I buried my head in my arms again as the recorder dropped to the desk

* * *

><p><strong>WHAT?! AN UPDATE?! HOW CAN THIS BE? <strong>

**YES MY PEOPLE I HAVE GOTTEN MY INSPIRATION BACK! And this extra long chapter should show it! xD **

**I LOVE YOU ALL! *Hugs* **

**HAVE SOME CHOCOLATE CHIPS! *Tosses chocolate chips to you all* **


	4. Chapter 4

***Spins in a circle* Weeee! :3**

* * *

><p>(Kira's POV)<p>

February 23 2024

Floor 35-Lost Forest

Releasing a sigh, I walked with my sword at the ready. The enemies in this forest weren't particularly strong, but I needed a break from the Front Lines anyways.

Continuing walking, I wanted to kick something. Kichirou had finally abandoned me when we joined the Front Lines, but to be honest, it was rather lonely without him with me, but what made me angrier was the fact that I knew my younger sister was a Front Liner in one of the guilds, but I couldn't find her.

I was just about to kick a sizely tree, when I heard someone scream.

"Pina!"

I dashed through the forest, trying to see who was in need of help. Seeing a horde of Drunk Apes, I readied my weapon and sprinted towards them. In three swift motions, they shuddered, and exploded into data fragments. I stood, slightly shocked, in front of a young girl with pigtails, wearing not the best armor. Her knife was a few feet away from her, and her eyes were swimming with tears.

"Pina..." She whispered, and turned away, picking up a single glowing feather from off the forest floor. "Don't leave me alone." She buried her face in the feather, and sobbed. "Pina!" I sheathed my sword, not sure what to do.

"What's that feather?" I finally managed.

"I...It's Pina," She choked out. "My partner..." I frowned, understanding.

"You're a beast tamer?" I said, surprised. "I'm sorry...I wasn't able to save your friend."

"No..." The girl shook her head, quivering. "I was being stupid. I was stupid to think that I could make it through the forest on my own." She finally turned to look at me, still holding the softly glowing feather. "Thank you for saving me." I smiled, and walked towards the girl, kneeling down beside her.

"Does that feather have an item name?" I inquired. She frowned, and looked at it, like the thought had never occurred to her. She raised one of her hands and tapped on the feather.

'Pina's Heart'

Tears blossomed and slowly made their way down her cheeks, and I was suddenly reminded of my younger sibling, back when our father had been around.

"Don't cry!" I told her, digging in my brain for something about reviving pets. "If Pina's heart is here, you can still revive her." When the girl looked up, shocked, I smiled slightly.

"Really?"

I nodded, remembering the place where you could revive your pets.

"On the south side of Floor 47, there's a field dungeon called the Hill of Memories," I recalled. "I've heard that the flower that blooms at it's top can revive a pet." The girl looked ecstatic for a second, before her face fell.

"Floor 47..." She mused.

"If you gave me the GP, I'd go for you," I said softly, scratching the back of my head. "But if the pet's owner isn't there, the flower won't bloom."

"That's information enough!" The girl said. "If I work hard to raise my level, then someday-" I cut her off.

"They can only be revived three days after death."

Her face fell, and she looked down at the feather still clutched in her fingers.

"No..." She said. "It's my fault. I'm so sorry, Pina..."

"Don't worry," I said, standing up. "You have three days." I brought down my menu and went through it, bringing up a trade with her. "This equipment should be worth a good five or six levels. If I go with you, it'll work out." I gave her a small knife, some clothes I had received from a monster a ways back, and a pair of my old combat boots. The Beast Tamer stood, slightly wobbly.

"Why would you do all this for me?" She asked. I froze, and turned to look at her, putting a hand on the side of my head.

"If you promise not to laugh, I'll tell you," I compromised. She nodded, her face set.

"I promise!"

Covering my face with my hand, I sighed. I debated for a moment before opening my mouth.

"It's because you remind me of my little sister..." I responded. There was a slight moment of silence, before the girl giggled slightly. I sighed and turned away.

"I'm sorry," She said, noticing my reaction, and looked at the trade offer, before offering something in return. "Um, I'm sure this isn't anywhere near enough to pay, but-"

"No, its okay," I said, stopping her from repaying me with coll. "This isn't entirely compatible with my reason for being here." The girl blinked, but nodded.

"I'm Silica," She said, holding out her hand to shake.

"I'm Kira," I took it. "We won't be together long, but it's nice to meet you."

* * *

><p>Floor 35-Mishe<p>

After Silica and I had managed to get out of the forest, we got into the town of Mishe. We were trying to get as far as we could in the first day before it ended.

We didn't make it far.

"There's Silica-chan!"

"You're late! We were worried!"

I kept walking as Silica stopped to allow two boys to catch up to us. I finally stopped, and turned to face them.

"U...Um..." Silica said.

"We should party up some time!" The taller of the two boys said. "We can go wherever you want."

"That's very kind of you, but..." Silica glanced at me, before her eyes fixed on my arm, which was slightly bent due to the fact that I had it in my pocket. "I'll be partying up with her for awhile." The two boys turned to glare at me, and I raised an eyebrow. "Sorry!" Silica apologized, and led me away. The two continued to glare into my back, and I sighed. "I apologize for that," Silica said.

"You're fans?" I asked kindly. "You must be popular."

"No..." Silica's answer surprised me. "They just want me along as a mascot." Her eyes filled with tears again, and I assumed she was thinking of Pina. "But I got full of myself when they began to call me Dragon Tamer Silica..." She stopped, allowing the blossoming tears to fall free.

"Don't worry," I said, turning and putting my hand on her head. "We'll make it in time." A smile spread over her face and she nodded.

"Right!"

We continued walking, until Silica looked up at me, slightly confused.

"Kira-san, where do you live?" She asked me curiously.

"On Floor 50," I admitted, hoping she wouldn't catch onto the fact that I was a Front Liner. "But, that's pretty far from here. I might actually stay here."

"Really?" Silica smiled. "The cheesecake here is the best!" I smiled, and we were about to head for an inn, when somebody called Silica's name.

"Well, if it isn't Silica."

Silica looked the opposite way, as I turned my head to look at who had spoken. It was a woman with red hair covering half of her face in the lead of three others. Her armor consisted of a pure black and red dress, which made me slightly angry. Those were my colors thank you.

"You made it out of the forest!" The woman continued. "I'm relieved."

"Is something wrong?" I asked, glancing at Silica's upset expression.

"No..." She shook her head.

"Huh?" The woman walked up to us. "What happened to the lizard? Could something..."

"Pina's dead," Silica admitted, before her face was replaced with determination. "But I'm going to bring her back!"

"Sounds like your going to the Hill of Memories then," The woman smirked. "But...at your level, will you be able to clear it?" Silica's expression faltered, and she looked ready to cry. I thought it was just about time that I stepped in.

"She will," I turned to the woman. "It isn't that hard, after all." _You moronic son of a Frenzy Boar, _I added mentally.

"Are you another one she's fooled?" The woman sneered. "You don't look particularly strong to me." _Okay, that's it! She's losing her head in the next five seconds!_I screamed mentally, but managed to keep my cool.

"Let's go," I nodded to Silica and we walked away, my fists clenched. She had gotten under my skin, and whoever got under my skin didn't live for long.

* * *

><p>We managed to get to the restaurant before I lost my cool, and ran back there to challenge that woman to a duel. If it wasn't for Silica clinging onto my arm, I would've ran back there thirty times on the way here.<p>

"Why is she so mean?" Silica burst out after we had sat down. I glanced up at her.

"Is Sword Art Online your first MMO?" I asked.

"Yes," She nodded.

"In any online game, a lot of people's personalities change," I explained. "Some enjoy playing as outright villains. Our player indicators are green right?" I glanced up at the green diamond above Silica's head, and continued. "However, if you commit a crime, the indicator will turn orange. The worst criminals, player killers, those who have killed someone, have red indicators. Otherwise known as red players." Silica gasped, and leaned back slightly.

"You mean murderers?" She asked. I nodded grimly, taking this as my cue to continue explaining.

"In any other game, they could have had fun while role playing as the bad guy," I continued. "However, Sword Art Online is different." My grip tightened on my cup. "This game really isn't a game at all."

"Kira-san..." Silica said. I glanced up from the contents of my drink, and sighed.

"Sorry," I muttered. There was an awkward moment of silence, and I started thinking of the woman we had encountered earlier. The savage urge to take off her head in one clean slice was still there, but I was resisting it for now. My first priority was to help Silica. Then, I could kill her.

"Kira-san, your a good person!" Silica said suddenly, standing up and leaning across the table. "You saved me!" Her hand slammed down on the table, and I blinked, releasing my hold on my cup slightly.

"Seems like you've cheered me up instead," I commented. "Thanks, Silica-chan." Silica's face turned bright red out of embarrassment, and she withdrew her hand from the table.

"I'm sorry Kira-san!" She said, flustered. "Our cheesecake is late!" She proceeded to get a waiter, and told her how our dessert was late, and I couldn't help but let the woman slip from my mind.

* * *

><p>After the depressing conversation, and the delicious cheesecake, Silica and I headed to an inn pretty close to the restaurant. We got our rooms, and bid each other good night. I had barely gotten out of my armor and into my night clothing, when I realized that Silica had no idea what the Hill of Memories was going to be like. I padded over to the door, before freezing, my arm outstretched to take the handle.<p>

That woman...Why did she have to pop into my mind now? Suddenly, my face dawned with comprehension and I turned the doorknob. Silica did not have to know, for now.

Opening the door, I took a hesitant step outside, my bare feet making soft noises on the wood. I knocked gently on Silica's door, and called for her.

"Silica-chan? Are you still up?"

"K-Kira-san?"

She responded almost instantly. Her voice displayed slight shock that I was still up, and I bit back a slight chuckle.

"I forgot I had more to tell you about floor 47," I said. "Want to go over it tomorrow or today? Either would be fine, I guess."

"It's fine!" Silica said, a little quickly. "I was actually thinking about that, and how we're going to save Pina!" She opened the door, revealing herself in her night clothes as well. She allowed me inside the room, and I pulled a table and chair over to her bed, placing a small golden object in the middle of it. Silica looked at it.

"What's that item, Kira-san?" She asked curiously.

"It's called a mirage sphere," I explained, tapping the purple tip of it. The sphere slowly opened up, rising into the air. It left a trail of blue light as it rose, and it soon spread into a 3D model of Aincrad. A smile spread over Silica's face as she watched.

"It's so pretty!" She gasped. I smiled slightly as she looked at the hologram, and zoomed in on floor forty seven. I pointed to a certain spot on it.

"Here's Floor 47's town area," I said, and then moved my finger to point at another place. "And this is the Hill of Memories." I continued talking, tracing a path with my finger. "We'll be following this route-" I cut myself off, and my head turned to face the door.

"Kira-" Silica started, before I shushed her, and ran towards the door, bursting it open. I looked around, hearing footsteps retreat.

"Who's there?" I yelled. Silica walked out beside me, looking slightly frightened.

"What was that?" She asked.

"They heard us," I growled. Silica frowned, looking up at me.

"But unless you've knocked, you can't hear through a door," She pointed out as we walked back through the inn door.

"True," I agreed. "But you can if your listening skill is high enough. A few people invest time to raise it."

"Why would they want to listen in on us?" Silica asked. I turned to look at the door, knowing that whoever was listening to us was most likely back in their original position behind the door.

* * *

><p>February 24th, 2024<p>

Floor 47-Floria

It's the second day out of the three that we have to save Pina, and Silica and I had just teleported to Floor 47's town, Floria. When we opened our eyes from the spinning that usually occurred during teleportation, Silica's gasp made me smile.

We were standing in a forest of flowers, all spread out in their own patches, with cobblestone separating them, allowing couples to walk in between each area of flowers.

"It's like a dream!" Silica said. I smiled, watching petals fly through the air. I usually didn't like things like this, but this scene was so beautiful, someone had to be crazy not to like it.

"This floor's known as the 'Flower Garden'," I told Silica. "The entire level is covered in flowers." Silica giggled and ran towards a random patch. I watched as she bent down to sniff one, but only disturbed a ladybug. Her eyes followed it as flew over the crowds. I walked up to her.

"Silica-chan?" I said.

"Yes?" She stood up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get distracted!" I smiled.

"Don't worry about it," I assured her. "Just remember we're on a time limit, so let's go."

"Right!"

* * *

><p>We had barely left Floria when I decided it was time I put my plan into action. I stopped, and Silica looked back, confused, as I went through my menu, bringing out a teleport crystal.<p>

"Kira-san," She said. "What's that?"

"A teleport crystal," I told her, placing it in her hands. "If anything unexpected happens, and I tell you to warp out, use this crystal to jump to any town."

"But-" Silica began.

"Promise me," I interjected. She looked at me for a second, and looked down at the crystal clutched in her hands.

"Alright..." She surrendered, and reluctantly put the crystal away. I wanted to breathe out a sigh of relief. Stage one of my plan was going perfectly.

"Let's get going," I said, starting across the rest of the bridge. "This path leads to the Hill of Memories." Silica sighed slightly, before running after me. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Um...Kira-san," Silica said finally, before two vines wrapped around her ankles, and yanked her into the air. I grabbed my sword, as she attempted to keep her skirt up while hanging upside down from the air. The monster that attacked her, a Garish Gerbera, I recognized, roared at her, and Silica screamed.

"Calm down, Silica-chan!" I yelled as she swung her dagger wildly. "It's really weak!" She continued failing around, and I resisted the urge to allow my palm to collide with my forehead.

"K-Kira-san!" Silica wailed. "Save me!" I couldn't help but let an amused smile creep onto my lips as she screamed and thrashed. "Stupid thing!" Silica howled. "That's enough!" She took hold of one of the vines holding onto her legs, and sliced it off. The Garish Gerbera roared and swung her around slightly, allowing her to cut off his other vine. Activating a blue sword skill as she came down, Silica impaled the Gerbera, and it exploded seconds later. She dropped lightly to the ground, and looked at me, embarrassed.

We continued walking, and were virtually undisturbed, save a few monsters here and there. It was at that point that Silica brought it up.

"Kira-san," She said softly. "Could I ask you about your sister?" I frowned, looking at her as the sun slowly slid down the sky.

"Why now, all of the sudden?" I questioned.

"You said I reminded you of her," Silica remembered. "I know it's impolite to ask about the real world, but would it be okay?"

"I called her my little sister," I sighed. "But we're actually not biologically related. I was born in America, and moved to Japan the week my mother gave birth to her. We grew up together, so I don't think she knows that we're not real siblings. Maybe that's why I've been distracting myself from her. Our old father was horrible. When I was eight, he beat me for standing up to him. When my little sister was eight, she was beaten right in front of me..."

"That's terrible..."

"So, my mother divorced him," I continued. "The night he declared it was the worst. I remember the screams of my sibling and my mother as I was forced to watch them be beaten into unconsciousness. He did the same to me soon after. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, and we never heard from him again. But, just to be on the safe side, we moved out of town, to an old house in the countryside."

"That's always good," Silica said.

"I just hope she doesn't hold it against me," I said. "The fact that I was too weak and too scared to stop my father from hurting her. She still has a scar on her lower back from the time he jabbed a knife into it. He has scars from what I did to him afterwards, but I guess I'm kind of helping you, because in a way, it feels like I'm apologizing to my sister."

"I don't think she hates you, and I'm sure you'll be able to find out!" Silica jumped in front of me, barring my path. "Is she playing SAO?" I nodded.

"She's a Front Liner, I'm sure," I told her.

"Well then, why don't you find out!" Silica suggested. "Apologize to her, even if it brings up old memories. So that way you'll find out the truth!" I smiled.

"You keep reassuring me," I said. "You're helping me more than you know, Silica-chan. Thank you. I'll try my best to find her and find out the truth." Silica smiled and turned away.

"Right! I'll do my best too!" She said, and took a few steps forward. She didn't go far, before she screamed, and was enveloped in what seemed like a forest of tongues that wrapped around her.

"Kira-san!" She screamed. I pulled out my sword, and activated a blue skill, slicing the monster in half as it appeared. It shuddered, before meeting it's doom, exploding into multicolored squares of data. Silica dropped from the air, and hit the ground with a bump, and a "Ow!"

We continued walking for a bit, before coming upon the crest of the hill. We stopped and I put my hand on my hip, a smile on my lips.

"The flower of revival is here?" Silica asked, looking around. I stared straight ahead, where the hill finally curved to a rest, and the cobblestone path finally ended. There was a small pedestal, surrounded by grass, trees, and flowers.

"Yeah," I nodded. "If I remember correctly, it's just over there." I pointed to the pedestal, and a smile spread over Silica's face. She ran towards it and we made our way to the crest of the hill, overlooking the whole area. She went up to the pedestal, and it started glowing, the revival flower blossoming. "Take it," I said, coming up behind her. She nodded, and gently picked the flower.

"This will bring Pina back, right?" She inquired.

"Yeah," I nodded, and she brought her face up to the flower and closed her eyes, inhaling it's sweet scent.

"I'm so glad..." She whispered.

"But there are a lot of strong monsters around here," I pointed out. "Hate to rain on your parade kiddo, but let's revive her when we get back in town, okay? I'm sure she'd prefer it that way."

"Okay!" Silica nodded, and we turned, heading back down the hill. We had barely reached the bridge, when I heard movement behind the trees. I put a hand on Silica's shoulder, stopping her. She looked at me, confused.

"Kira-san..."

"Whoever's behind those trees, come out now," I ordered. It was a pause before the annoying red haired woman from before slowly came out from behind the trunk of the tree closest to me.

"R-Roselia-san?" Silica took in a sharp breath. I clenched my fists. So the woman's name was Roselia. The perfect name for someone like her. Rude, nasty, and basically everything I never wanted to be.

"If you can see through my hiding skill, your detection skill must be quite high, swordsman," She commented. "It appears that you've got the Pneuma Flower. Congratulations!" Her voice was so insincere, it was taking all of my willpower not to take her head and be done with it. "Now, hand it over." Silica took a step backwards.

"W-What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"That isn't going to happen Rosalia-san," I said through gritted teeth. "Or, should I say, leader of the orange guild, Titan's Hand." Rosalia narrowed her eyes slightly at me, and I clenched my fists. Probably taking too long for her pea-sized brain to process how I knew this.

"But she's green!" Silica protested, obviously confused herself.

"It's a simple trick," I said. "The green members find targets, and lead them to where the orange players are waiting. That was one of your friends listening to us last night, right?" I called over to her, still mentally calling her some unspeakable names.

"Then the reason we were in the same party for two weeks..." Silica gasped, realization dawning on her face.

"That's right," A smile spread over Rosalia's face. "I was assessing its strength, while waiting for them to earn money from adventures." She licked her lips, and my distaste for this woman grew. "You were the prey I was most anticipating!" Rosalia spread her hands. "It was unfortunate that you left, but then you said you were getting a rare item." She rested her forehead lovingly on her staff. "However, you knew all that, but went with her anyway. Are you an idiot?" No, but you are, I thought scathingly. "Or did she really actually fool you?"

"No, neither of the above," I shook my head, wanting to kill her for calling me an idiot. "I've also been searching for you, Rosalia-san."

"What are you talking about?" She demanded. That brain had to be the size of a cell for her not to understand me.

"Ten days ago, you attacked a guild called the Silver Flags," I remembered, anger bubbling up inside me from the way she was twirling her hair. "Four people, all but the leader, died."

"Oh, the one's with no money," Rosalia said, still twirling her hair. My anger intensified with each movement, and every syllable.

"Their leader went from the warp point to the front lines, from morning till night, begging someone to avenge them," I remembered. "But he didn't want you killed like I most certainly do. He wanted someone to jail you. Can you understand how he felt in that pea-sized brain of yours?"

"Nope..." She seemed oblivious to the insults I was hurling at her. She released hold of her hair, and slapped the back of her hand to her hip. "What kind of idiot would take this seriously? There's no real proof that killing someone here means they die in real life."

"And what kind of idiot, would go around killing people whenever they want!" I yelled, temper snapping. "Game or not, proof or not, what you're doing is inexcusable! I'm so close to taking your head, that way I don't have to be bothered with you again!"

"Anyways," Rosalia continued and I clenched my fists. Deaf. She must be deaf. "Shouldn't you be more concerned for yourselves?" She raised her hand and snapped her fingers, and seven others appeared from behind the trees. They all had orange player indicators, and Silica took another step backwards.

"Kira-san, there are too many!" She said. "We should run!" I put my hand on her head, and smiled softly.

"It'll be okay," I promised. "Until I tell you to run, keep your teleport crystal ready. Stay put and watch."

"Okay," Silica took out the crystal. "B-But..." I started walking towards the Titan's Hand members and she called my name. "Kira-san!" The members froze.

"Kira?" One repeated, as I true my sword. "Black and crimson clothes...A one-handed, no shield style. That can't be the Crimson Swordsman..."

"Rosalia-san," Another said. "This is the beater who solos the front lines! She's in the lead group!"

"The lead group?" Silica repeated softly from behind me. _Darn right I'm a Front Liner, _I thought smugly.

"Someone from the lead group wouldn't be down here!" Rosalia scoffed. "Go get her, and take everything she owns!" The group activated different sword skills, and charged towards me, yelling things like, "Die!" and "I'm gonna rob you!"

I stopped walking the moment the first strike came.

The wounds vanished, however, as soon as they reached my body, and my HP kept replenishing itself. I slowly kept count in my head as they attacked with sword skills, attempting to run me through. I heard Silica mumble softly to herself, and a smile crossed my face.

"I have to save Kira-san," She was saying, but was cut short by her own gasp. She must have seen my health bar. "What?"

As soon as the Titan's Hand members started attacking, they stopped, panting. Rosalia's face twisted up in anger.

"What are you doing?!" She demanded. "Kill her!" The members looked at each other hesitantly, and I smirked.

"About four hundred, in around ten seconds," I reported. "That's the total amount of damage you seven can do to me." Rosalia's face twisted up in anger, and she cursed. "I'm a level seventy eight," I continued. "I have 14,500 HP, and my battle healing skill auto-regenerates six hundred points every ten seconds. We could stand here all day, and you'd never beat me."

"Is that even possible?" A Titan's Hand member demanded.

"It is," I said sharply, turning my head to face him. "High enough numbers will make you invincible. MMO's that use a level system are unfair that way." I took out a teleport crystal, and glared at them all. "My client spent his entire fortune to buy this warp crystal. It's set to take you to the prison. You're all going there!" Rosalia pointed her three fingered trident at me.

"I'm green so if you hurt me, you'll go orange-"

I cut her annoying childish voice off in an instant. I moved forwards, slamming my sword to her throat, not enough to injure, but enough to scare her.

"Just so we're clear, I'm a solo player," I growled. "One or two days of playing orange mean nothing to me." To my extreme satisfaction, her grip slackened on her weapon, and she dropped it. I glanced back, and saw Silica's bewildered face, and felt slightly bad. I would explain everything to her once we were back in the town, and safely in an inn.

* * *

><p>Once I transported Titan's Hand to the jail, Silica and I made our way back to town. We found an inn, and went inside, not saying a word to each other the entire duration. Then, I finally spoke.<p>

"Sorry, Silica-chan," I sighed. "I ended up using you as bait. I thought you'd be scared if I told you about myself." She shook her head, a wide smile crossing her innocent features.

"You're a good person, Kira-san," She said. "So, I wouldn't be scared." I smiled slightly. "So, you're leaving then?" She sounded upset.

"Yeah," I said. "I don't like it, but I've been away from the front lines for five days. I unfortunately need to get back." Silica sighed, lacing her hands on her lap.

"T-The lead group is amazing," She said finally. "I could never be one, even if I tried for years." There was a brief pause, before Silica spoke again. "Um...I..."

"Levels are just numbers," I cut across her. "In this world, strength is just an illusion. There are more important things." She frowned slightly, and I turned my head to look at her. "Next time, Silica-chan, let's meet in the real world, okay? If we do that, then we'll be friends, just like we are now."

"Yeah!" Silica agreed emphatically. "I'm sure we will!" I smiled, and stood up.

"Okay, let's revive Pina!" I said.

"Yeah!" Silica stood, and went over to the table in the corner of the room. She brought down her menu and scrolled through it, bringing out Pina's Heart. She laid it delicately on the wood, before finding the Pneuma Flower. She selected it, and took it in her hands, smiling. The menu vanished, and she stared at the flower, knowing that this was the item that was going to bring back her best friend. I was strongly reminded of my younger sisters, and I crossed my arms.

_Yuu...I'll be sure to tell you about this when I find you_, I promised myself mentally as Silica dripped a single dewdrop from the flower onto Pina's Heart. _And when I do...I'll tell you the one day in my life, I thought someone could replace you, but I know now more than ever, that I need to find you. At least, now I have some inspiration._

* * *

><p><strong>WHAT'S THIS?! TWO UPDATES? IMPOSSIBRU! No, but seriously, I've gotten my inspiration back, and I hope this was displayed through these two long chapters!<strong>

***Throws chocolate chips***


	5. Chapter 5

***Spins in a circle* Weeeeee~! **

* * *

><p>(Akira's POV)<p>

March 6th 2024

Floor 56-Pani

The darkness closed in around at least seventy, maybe more players gathered around a stone table. Two others stood guard at the entrance of our meeting, and I was glaring down a map spread out over the table.

The other Front Liners glanced hesitantly at me and another player with untidy brown hair. Tadashi and I. Then, I finally quieted the murmurs by slamming my hand down on the map.

"We'll lure the field boss into the village."

My statement was met with gasps and more muttering. Tadashi took a step forwards, and I let out an inwardly groan. He always objected to any plan I had.

"W-Wait a second," He protested. "If you do that the villagers-"

"That's the idea," I interrupted. "While the boss is killing NPCs, we'll attack and destroy it."

"NPCs aren't just 3-D objects like trees or rocks," Tadashi protested. "They're-"

"Alive?" I cut across him again. "Is that it?" He closed his mouth, slightly shocked. That motion satisfied me, and a smirk spread across my face, which quickly vanished. "They're only objects. Even if they're killed, they'll just respawn."

"I can't go along with this," Tadashi said, lowering his hand. I straightened up, and glared at him.

"I, Akira, Vice Commander of the Blue Lightning, will oversee this operation," I folded my arms. "You will obey my orders." We glared at each other, and Tadashi sighed.

"You're impossible."

I took a deep breath, and let my arms drop to my sides.

"The operation starts at the end of this week," I said. "Until then, level up, or help clear the dungeon. I expect to see you all there. Meeting disbanded." The group sighed and left the building. I followed with the other members of my guild, and glared after Tadashi as he was talking to Egil. I clenched my fists, and walked towards the town.

* * *

><p>April 11th, 2024<p>

Floor 59-Danac

_"You'll be really strong. So, if someone you trust ever invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down."_

That was what he told me. Word-for-word. I took that advice, and within a year of the game starting, I was clearing floors with a top guild. Now, every time I saw him, it made me angry. The fact that he ran off without a trace, and just now popped up as a solo Front Liner.

The sun beat down on me as I walked through the fields, looking for Tadashi, and unfortunately thinking about him. It had been a few months before we had our argument before we faced off the field boss, and when the time had come for us to defeat it, he actually showed up, surprisingly.

I clenched my fists, my silver and blue armor clinking slightly as I walked. I'd been forced to change my old armor as soon as I joined the Blue Lightning, so now I was wearing a blue short dress that only reached about mid-upper thigh, with silver chest plate, corset thing that reached from my chest down to my hip. My sword was strapped to my hip, and I wore a slight extension on the skirt itself, that went down to my ankles, which was blue all the way down, but the hem of it was laced with silver. My hair was in the same fashion it always was in, french braided down my back, with silver socks with a blue lightning bolt on the lower thigh. I wore silver boots, and my eyes flashed dangerously as soon as I spotted Tadashi, lounging underneath a tree. From his breathing patterns, he was probably asleep, but I marched over there anyways.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, stopping just above him, putting my hand on my hip. His chocolate-brown eyes opened sleepily, and he glanced up at me, hardly even fazed.

"What?" Tadashi asked, sounding slightly annoyed that I had woken him up. He didn't seem to realize that it was me, before he continued talking. "It's you."

"The other lead group members are working hard to clear the dungeon," I snapped. "Why are you out here taking a nap? Even if you're a solo player, you need to be serious-"

"It's Aincrad's nicest season, and today is it's nicest weather setting. Entering a dungeon on a day like today is a waste." He cut me off.

"Do you not understand?" I demanded. "Every day we spend here is one we've lost in the real world!"

"But, right now we're alive here, in Aincrad," He countered. The frown vanished as I was left slightly speechless. The wind ruffled through my hair, blowing it aside. "See?" Tadashi asked. "The wind and sunlight feel so good."

"Do they?" I asked. "There's nothing special about this weather." Tadashi reached out his arms across the grass, stretching.

"If you'd lie down for a bit, you'd understand," Tadashi said plainly, and with that, he fell asleep. I resisted the urge to slap him awake, but to be completely honest, this wind brushing gently across my skin felt surprisingly good. I turned towards the canopy of leaves the tree had spread over my head. The sun shone right in my face, and I had to raise my hand to block it. I turned towards Tadashi, who was now completely asleep, and sighed. _I'd hate to admit it, but he's got a point... _I mentally admitted. _Maybe it would be good...just to take a small nap..._

I had meant to fall asleep for a short time, get up, pretend it never happened, and walk away before he too woke up, but of course, things never go my way.

It was sunset when a sneeze finally jarred me awake. After it had come out, I'd curled up into a small ball, and then got up onto my knees. First thing I saw after looking around, was Tadashi, who was looking at me with a slightly shocked expression. I tensed.

"What..."

"Morning," Tadashi said, and for once it didn't sound sarcastic. "Sleep well?" I stood up, and grabbed hold of my sword pulling it out of it's scabbard slightly, and he jumped off of the brick wall he was sitting on. I sheathed my blade, and had to force my hand away from the hilt.

"One meal," I said through clenched teeth. When he looked confused, I dropped hold of my sword, and turned away from him, my cheeks burning. "One meal," I repeated. "I'll buy you one meal of any kind. Then we'll be even, okay?" Tadashi blinked once, only increasing my embarrassment.

* * *

><p>Floor 57-Martin<p>

We, well rather Tadashi, had picked out a restaurant back on Floor 57, in the town of Martin. It was relatively small, but quite popular with the locals, and at this particular moment, the last thing I needed was more attention.

"That's Akira from the Blue Lightning!"

"That's the Lightning Survivor!"

"Who's the guy in red and orange? He looks like a furnace..."

I groaned inwardly. This happened anywhere I went, and I still had no idea how I earned my nickname, the 'Lightning Survivor'. Tadashi looked equally as uncomfortable as I was.

"Well, anyways," I said, trying to tear not only his attention, but mine also, from the whispers around us. "Thanks for today." He looked confused, and I focused my attention not on the opposite wall, but on his dumbfounded expression. "For watching over me."

"Ah, no problem," His face cleared, suddenly understanding why in the world I was thanking him.

"The towns are safe areas, so no one can attack or player-kill you," I laced my hands together on the top of my table, rubbing my thumb. "But it's different when you're asleep."

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "Sleep-PKs, dirty tricks that use the duel system. Normally, duels are just tests of strength. But, during a duel, HP can go down, even in a safe zone."

"So you can challenge a sleeping person, using their own finger to press the OK button," I nodded. "Then you just keep attacking. It's happened before. So, well..." I tensed up slightly. "Thank you." I could feel my cheeks burning, so instead of looking at him, I looked at the drawn curtains over the window.

"W-Well, Akira..." Tadashi looked slightly shocked that I was thanking him, of all people. "Y-You're welcome." There was a slight pause in our very awkward conversation, when somebody screamed.

We instantly stood up, knocking back our chairs, all conversation ceasing at once. Within two minutes, we were running outside, and I drew in a sharp breath.

Hanging from the bell tower of a church by a thick rope was a man with a sword sticking out of his chest. The rope was looped around his neck, so it was almost as if someone was hanging him. A small crowd had gathered underneath him, but were too frozen with horror to do anything about the man hanging above their heads. Tadashi and I ran towards the crowd, stopping a few feet away from them.

"Hurry up and pull it out!" Tadashi yelled as the man fumbled with the weapon sticking from his chest. He paused in his struggles, looking over at him and tried again, pulling with all his might to dislodge the sword. I cursed under my breath.

"You stay down here and catch him!" I ordered Tadashi, and ran towards the church doors. Whipping open the door, I ran upstairs, my breaths coming in short ragged gasps. I kept running, hoping to save the man from certain doom. By the time I got up there, it was too late. The man went limp, hanging from the rope, and the sword sticking from his stomach. A few minutes later, his form flickered and exploded into data squares, killing him. The empty noose fell limp, gently hitting the bricks of the tower.

The sword impaled itself into the ground, and again a terrified scream broke out from one of the spectators. I spotted Tadashi, frozen with shock. I swallowed. The only way to kill somebody in a safe zone was through a duel. Tadashi seemed to recognize this. He slowly regained his bearings, and I examined the wooden pole from which the rope was tightly tied around, his voice floating over to me.

"Everyone! Look for the 'Duel Winner' notification!"

A sudden thought occurred to me, and I frowned, looking around for someone who stood in the shadows. I went out to the balcony, avoiding the rope.

"There's no one inside!" I called down to him, and he glanced around the players, looking for the 'Duel Winner' notification.

* * *

><p>A silence fell between Tadashi and I, and I listened to the distant rumblings of the townsfolk still gathered underneath the church. I was staring at the rope, tied firmly to the wooden pole, and flung carelessly out the window. Finally, someone spoke.<p>

"Just what is this?" Tadashi asked, examining the spear that had murdered the player. He spun in in his hand, examining the jagged edges of it, and the tassel hanging from the hilt.

"The obvious conclusion is that the challenger impaled the victim with that spear, put a noose around his neck, and pushed him out this window," I responded, my arms folded. I stole a glance at the sword, my eyes soon fixing on Tadashi's face. "Wouldn't you say?"

"But no one had the Winner message," He pointed out.

"That's impossible," I said. "The only way to hurt someone in a safe area is via duel. Either the Challenger very cleverly hid himself, or he didn't stick around to admire his handiwork." The distant sounds of the other players talking to themselves grew louder, and my eyes followed the rope outside, from where it was still hanging. It almost seemed innocent now that the player had been killed. I looked back at Tadashi, who still looking at the spear. "Either way, we can't ignore this," I said.

"Yeah," He agreed, his brown eyes fixing on me.

"If someone's found a way to PK within safe areas, it will be dangerous inside towns as well as outside," I continued, turning my head to look at him. He averted his gaze from my face, and his eyes traveled down to the weapon.

"You're right," He muttered, sounding as though he was forcing the words to roll of his tongue, which he most likely was doing.

"We'll have to leave the front lines for now, but we have no choice," I peeled myself off of the wall, and walked towards Tadashi. I stopped within shaking hands distance, which was exactly what I intended to do. He looked up at me, slightly confused from his expression. "I'll need you to help me until we solve this," I allowed a small smile to creep onto my face as I extended my arm. "Just so we're completely clear, there won't be any time for napping." He took my hand, looking unamused.

"You're the one who was napping," He grumbled. The smile slid from my face, and my grip tightened on his fingers, and I twisted his wrist. He cried out in pain. We walked from the bell tower, my face still bright red, and Tadashi nursing his wrist by rubbing it gently. The door closed behind us, and the murmurs quieted down slightly.

"Excuse me," Tadashi spread his hands, and the crowd went silent. "Did anyone see the whole thing? If you did, please speak up!" The crowds started muttering to themselves again, and I caught snippets of what they were saying.

"I just heard the scream..."

"I couldn't see until that person screamed...too short y'know..."

"By the time I got here..."

Finally, a woman with long wavy purple hair stepped forwards. She was wearing a blue shirt underneath a grey chest plate wrapped around her chest. She wore a blue belt and brown pants and boots to go with the outfit. Her sword was strapped by her side, and her eyes were wide with worry. She walked up to us, and I gave her a sympathetic look.

"Sorry, I know you've just had a frightening experience," I said soothingly. "What's your name?"

"My name is Yoruko..." She said. Tadashi frowned slightly.

"Was that first scream yours?" He asked, slightly insensitively. I resisted the urge to twist his wrist again. Her voice quivered as she nodded.

"Y-Yes," Yoruko said, raising her fist to her neck-line. "I came here to eat dinner with the man who was killed. His name was Kains." Tears blossomed in the corner of her blue eyes, threatening to spill over at any second. "We used to be in the same guild. But, we got separated in the plaza," The tears had sprouted, and ran down her face. She gave a choked sob. "I looked around, and saw him hanging from the church window..." She clapped her hand to her mouth, muffling her sobs. I walked towards her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Did you see anyone else?" I asked her gently.

"It was just for a second," She responded. "But I thought I saw someone behind Kains." I exchanged a glance with Tadashi, before looking back at Yoruko.

"Did that person look familiar?" I took hold of her wrist, pulling it away from her mouth so I could hear her more clearly. She shook her head, after thinking for a second.

"No..."

Tadashi raised his hand slightly as her shoulders started heaving with poorly suppressed sobs.

"I hate to ask this, but do you know why anyone would have wanted to kill Kains?" He asked, attempting, and failing, to ask this without upsetting her further. Yoruko's eyes widened, and she shook her head. I looked to Tadashi and he shrugged.

* * *

><p>That night, we escorted Yoruko to an inn, hoping to protect her if the killer was after her next. Once we had arrived, she turned to us with a smile.<p>

"Thank you for walking me here," She said.

"Don't worry about it," I said, returning her smile. "We can talk more tomorrow." My voice echoed out over the courtyard, the crickets chirping loudly.

"Okay..." Yoruko didn't sound very enthusiastic about that, but she nodded anyways. With a swift bow, she closed her inn room door, and left Tadashi and I alone.

"So, now what?" Tadashi asked me, and I led him away from the inn, and we started walking through the nearly empty streets.

"Let's review what we know," I said simply. "If we learn where that spear came from, it might lead us to the perpetrator."

"Then we need someone with an appraisal skill," Tadashi said. "You don't...have one, obviously."

"Of course not," I said indignantly. "Nor, do you. Also..." I stopped walking, a hand on my hip. "Must you address me so curtly?" Tadashi stopped, looking slightly sheepish as he turned to look at me.

"U-Um...Well, maybe..." He mumbled. "'Miss' then?" When I gave him a look that plainly said, 'Are you serious?' He blinked. "Or, 'Vice Commander-sama'?" My expression didn't falter. "'Lightning Survivor-sama'?" By then I was irritated. I looked up to the sky, like, 'Gods please save this idiot' and sighed.

"Just call me Akira!" I said exasperatedly. He groaned slightly.

"R-Roger..." He grumbled underneath his breath. "Anyway, do you have any friends with an appraisal skill?" I thought for a moment, before nodding.

"A weapon's merchant friend has it, but this is their busiest time, so it may take awhile," I turned away to look at the ceiling of the floor.

"I see..." Tadashi lowered his hand, looking slightly smug. "Then, let's ask an item merchant I know."

* * *

><p>Floor 50-Algade<p>

This 'friend' Tadashi was talking about was seven floors beneath us, in a town specifically meant for merchants.

I sighed as we walked towards the 'friend's shop. Tadashi just loved skipping to floors with a teleport crystal, and along the way finding new adventures.

The streets were alive with bustling people and cheery voices, all mostly coming from the shop owners. Nobody was very happy in this world, whether they were fighting a boss or celebrating their birthday.

We walked into an alleyway, which was significantly less busy then the streets. As we approached the large wooden door, it opened and a disgruntled person walked out, carrying a spear over his shoulder.

"Thank you! Come again!" A deep voice came from within the brightly lit shop, and Tadashi waited until the person had passed before walking into the shop.

"Seems you're just as greedy as ever," He called to the man within the shop.

"Hey, Tadashi," The man responded. I still stood alone outside the door, wondering if it was safe to go in. "Buy cheap and sell cheap, that's my motto."

"I don't know about that second part," Tadashi said sounding slightly amused.

"Don't go slandering my good name," The man warned teasingly, and I walked up to the door. The man, I realized, was Agil. As soon as he noticed me, Agil grabbed onto Tadashi's neck, pulling him over the counter. Despite Agil's want to keep things quiet, he was still rather loud. "W-What happened Tadashi?!" He was demanding. "You're a solo player, so what are you doing here with Akira? Don't you two not get along?"

* * *

><p>Once Agil had finally calmed down, he took us to the back room, where to be honest, it wasn't much. There were two wardrobes pressed against the walls of the archway where the room began. There was a table with three stools surrounding it by a messily made bed. Two more wardrobes sat above the bed's headboard, and a barrel full of sticks sat at the bed's base. Agil urged us to sit around the table, and Tadashi brought out the jagged spear.<p>

"Someone's HP dropped to zero within a safe area?" Agil gasped, once we had explained the situation to him. "And it wasn't through a duel?"

"No one saw a winner's message," Tadashi shrugged, as if this situation didn't bother him in the slightest.

"If he was walking with Yoruko-san right before, then it's not a sleep-PK," I said, frowning slightly. Something in this mystery just didn't add up, not only the fact that someone died within a safe area.

"The method is too involve for some random duel," Tadashi agreed. "We can assume that it was a premeditated PK, and so, we come to this." He looked down at the sword, lying innocently off the table, despite the evil glow cast upon it by Agil's lamp hanging from the ceiling.

Agil picked up the spear, and examined it, activating his appraisal skill. He selected the 'identify' button, and it loaded for a second, before coming up with it's information. Agil read for a moment, before sighing.

"It's a player-made weapon," He said. Shock spread through every nerve in my body and I stiffened up, looking at Agil.

"Really?!" Tadashi gasped, his face displaying the shock that I was feeling.

"Who made it?" I asked.

"Grimrock," Agil's eyes had not moved from the small screen containing the spear's information. "Never heard of him...Not any top-ranked bladesmith, I'll tell you that. And there's nothing particularly unusual about the weapon."

"But it still should be a clue!" I protested, and Tadashi nodded.

"Tell us it's item name too," He requested.

"Let's see..." Agil's eyes moved back and forth over the screen, before fixing on a certain point. "Guilty Thorn is it's listed name." The screen vanished, and he handed Guilty Thorn back to Tadashi, who examined it up and down.

"Guilty Thorn..." He repeated it's name under his breath. "Okay..." He raised the sword, ready to impale it in his own hand. I gasped, and grabbed hold of his wrist before it could sink into his palm.

"Wait!"

"Why?" He asked, looking up at me.

"Why do you think, genius!" I demanded, worried for his health. "Are you stupid?! That weapon's already killed someone!" He looked at me, slightly confused, as if he was wondering why on Earth I just saved his life.

"But we won't be sure unless we try," Tadashi said softly. Although he had a point, I still didn't release my hold on his wrist.

"That's crazy! Don't do it!" I took the blade away from him, glaring at the brunette through narrowed eyes. "Agil-san can hold onto it!" I thrust it towards the man in question and he looked thoroughly bewildered.

"Huh?" He held out his hands. "Sure..." Agil took Guilty Thorn from me, and I turned to Tadashi, hands on my hips.

* * *

><p>The next day...<p>

The distant church bells rang as Yuroko, Tadashi, and I sat in the restaurant that the brunette and I were at yesterday. An unnatural mist had settled over the town in the early hours of the day, and light was hesitantly shining through the windows, pooling on the floor and the table we sat at.

A bottle sat next to a clean glass, both untouched in front of Yuroko. We were sitting in an uncomfortable silence, until I leaned forwards slightly.

"Hey, Yuroko-san," I said, my voice unnaturally loud in the quiet pressing in around us. "Have you ever heard of the name, 'Grimrock'?" As soon as the name rolled off my tongue, Yoruko tensed up, her eyes as big a saucers. She relaxed, staring at the bottle in front of her.

"Yes," She nodded. "He was a member of the guild that Kains and I were once in." Tadashi and I exchanged a shocked glance, and of course, Tadashi took that as his cue to continue.

"When we had the spear stuck in Kains-san's chest appraised, we found that it was made by Grimrock-san." Yuroko's eyes widened, and she clapped her hands to her mouth. "Can you think of any reason of why that may be?" Tadashi continued curiously. There was a slight pause, before Yuroko nodded.

"Yes, I can," She said softly. Her fists clenched on the table, and one hand moved to cover the other. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you yesterday. I wanted to forget." She closed her eyes tightly, and shivered. "It's something I don't really want to remember. However, I'll tell you." Something tapped gently on the window, as clouds moved to cover the weakly shining sun. The heavens opened up, starting the first of the soon to be downpour. "What destroyed our guild..." Yoruko continued. "To explain that, I must go to the beginning. Our guild's name was the Golden Apple.

"Six months ago, a rare monster we defeated dropped a powerful ring that raised agility by twenty. We were divided on whether to use it for the guild, or sell it and split the earnings." By now the light sprinkle had turned into a downpour of relentless rain, and Yoruko's voice was barely heard over the pattering of the water droplets as they hit the window. "But in the end, we put it by vote. The vote went 5-3 in favor of selling it.

"Our leader, Griselda-san, was going to stay overnight at a large town on the front lines to give it to a broker," Yoruko continued. "However, she never came back. Later, we learned that she had died. I still don't know why."

"No one would leave a safe zone with that kind of rare item," Tadashi commented once Yoruko had finished. "Which means, a sleep-PK?"

"Six months ago would've been just before the method spread," I pointed out.

"But it's hard to think it's a coincidence," Tadashi muttered. "Whoever attacked Griselda-san must have been a player who knew about the ring. In other words..."

"One of the other seven members of Golden Apple," Yuroko finished for him, looking frightened.

"The most suspicious ones, would be the ones who opposed selling it," Tadashi said.

"You mean they attacked Griselda-san to get the ring before it was sold?" I asked him, hopefully confirming what he had just said.

"Probably," He nodded. "Who is Grimrock-san?"

"He was Griselda-san's husband," Yuroko explained. "Just within the game, naturally. Griselda-san was a powerful swordsman. Pretty and smart. Grimrock-san was a kind man who was always smiling. They made a great couple, and they got along well. If he was responsible for yesterday's murder, he must be the three who opposed selling the ring." She looked uncertain, before continuing. "Two of them were myself and Kains." I took in a sharp breath, as did Tadashi. The table shuddered as Tadashi's knee slammed into it. He cursed.

"Then who's the other?" I asked.

"A tank named Schmidt," Yoruko answered, and I felt a jolt in my stomach. I knew that man. "I've heard he's on the front lines now, with the Holy Dragon's Alliance."

"Schmidt," Tadashi repeated, relaxing and leaning back in his chair, which squeaked in protest. "I've heard that name."

"Me too," I nodded. "He leads the Holy Dragon Alliance's defense forces. He's a big lance-user."

"Oh, him," Tadashi seemed to know who Schmidt was now.

"You know Schmidt?" Yoruko gasped.

"I've only seen him a few times while clearing bosses," Tadashi admitted, swirling the contents of his drink.

"Could you let me talk to him?" Yoruko pleaded so suddenly, that Tadashi dropped his cup. "He probably hasn't heard about what happened yesterday, and what happened to Kains could happen to him..." She settled back in her seat, and looked down at her lap. The rain ran down the windowpanes, effectively fitting the mood for this conversation.

"Let's call Schmidt-san," I said gently. "I know someone at the Holy Dragon's Alliance. If we go to their headquarters, perhaps we can talk to him."

"Then first, we should get Yoruko-san to an inn," Tadashi pointed out. "Yoruko-san, don't leave the inn until we return."

"Alright," Yoruko didn't sound happy about that, but agreed none the less.

* * *

><p>The rain slowly stopped to a gentle sprinkle after we had left Yoruko at the inn. At the moment, Tadashi and I were making our way to the Holy Dragon's Alliance headquarters to get them to let us speak with Kains.<p>

"How do you think the murder was carried out?" I asked Tadashi finally. I had my own speculations on how the whole thing happened, but I wanted another person's point of view on the whole thing before I reached conclusions.

"I see basically three possibilities," Tadashi said, putting his pointer finger in a slight curve on his chin. "The first is a fair duel. The second is through an exploit through known methods."

"Yeah, I can see that," I agreed, not wanting to tell him that was exactly what I had come up with. "And the third?"

"Some skill we don't know about that bypasses safe areas," He responded at once. "Or, possibly an item." We walked a few more paces, before he stopped, staring at the fog obscuring his feet. "No, the third is impossible."

"Why?"

"It's unfair," Tadashi said simply, and I wanted to say something along the lines of, _this whole GAME is unfair you idiot! _but I kept quiet, and listened. "I kind of hate to admit it, but SAO's rules are essentially fair. I can't imagine this game allowing murders in safe areas." I sighed, realizing that he had a point.

* * *

><p>Schmidt tapped his foot nervously on the carpeted ground of the inn room, the setting sun casting an unnatural glow over Yoruko, who had changed her clothing to a simple dark purple skirt, with a grey shirt, with a white shawl draped over her shoulders. There was no sound in the room besides Schmidt's armor making slight noise as he tapped his foot.<p>

"Is it true that Kains was killed with Grimrock's weapon?" He asked finally. Yoruko nodded grimly.

"It is."

Schmidt released an odd noise, halfway between a nervous squeak and a terrified gasp.

"Why would Kains be killed after all this time?!" He demanded, almost yelling, before it looked like his vocal cords had tensed up. "He...Did he steal the ring? Was he the one who killed Griselda?" Schmidt collapsed in his seat, banging his fist against his knee cap. "Does Grimrock plan to kill the three of us who opposed selling the ring? Is he after me and you too?!"

"It could be another member," Yoruko said, her voice oddly calm and quiet compare to Schmidt's panicked tone. "And Grimrock-san only made the spear. Or perhaps, it may be Griselda san's revenge." The wind blew in from the open window, ruffling Yoruko's hair. When Schmidt looked convinced that this was true, she continued. "Only a ghost could kill someone inside a safe zone." As soon as the words from out of her mouth, Schmidt tried to object, his mouth moving, but no sound came out. Tadashi and I exchanged an interested glance, slightly confused ourselves. Yoruko stood up, her blue eyes wide, with a slight sadistic gleam in them.

"Yoruko-san!" I said sharply, but she didn't listen.

"I stayed awake," Yoruko said, towering over Schmidt, who suddenly looked weak and feeble. "All last night, thinking...and I came to this conclusion..." Her voice suddenly rose to a yell. "In the end, all of us were the ones who killed her!" She buried her face in her hands. "When that ring dropped, we should have never voted! We should have just done what she wanted!" She backed to the window, breathing heavily. "Grimrock-san was the only one who said we should simply let Griselda-san decide..." She sat on the window, clasping her hands in front of her. "So, he has the right to take revenge for Griselda-san on the rest of us."

"You're kidding me," Schmidt said finally. "You're kidding me...After all this time, six whole months...Why now?" He buried his face in his hands, and he stood up abruptly. "You're okay with this, Yoruko? You're okay with being killed like this?" He was about to take a step forwards, when Tadashi grabbed onto his wrist, preventing him from moving.

It happened in a blur.

There was a sound of a blade piercing digital flesh, and Yoruko stiffened up, nearly falling from the window. Shock was displayed on all of our faces as she turned, showing her back to us, and hanging onto the windowsill for support. The wind blew aside her hair, showing us the small dagger sticking from her back . The next moment, she was falling out the open window, and Tadashi sprinted for her, hoping to save her like we were unable to do so for Kains. He ran to the window, and reached out for her.

"Yoruko-san!" He screamed.

It was too late.

I ran next to him, as her body hit the cobblestones below, and exploded into data, leaving nothing but the knife lying on the street.

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUNNNN! xD<strong>

**WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YORUKO-SAN?! IS SHE DEAD?!**

**People who have already seen SAO, please do not spoil. :3**

**Yes, I am going through the plotline, but with different characters. Just wanted to make that clear.**

**THANK YOU.**

**GOOD BYE.**

***Throws chocolate chip confetti***


	6. Chapter 6

**I debated for a long time whether or not to continue with Akira, and just not post today, or move to Kira, and leave you guys with that horrible cliffhanger. **

**BUT just because I'm nice, here you are! A brand new chapter! **

* * *

><p>(Akira's POV)<p>

I watched in horror as Yoruko hit the ground and died, her data shards hardly reaching the window. The knife clattered onto the street, and I cursed, looking around for whoever threw the deadly projectile. I spotted someone on a roof a little ways away, and I drew in a sharp breath, getting onto the windowsill, ready to launch myself towards the cloaked figure, but Tadashi got there first.

"Akira," He said, pushing me back. "I'll leave the rest to you!" And with that, he climbed onto the wooden sill, and pushed off from it, flying out of the window, hitting the roof on the opposite side of the window, and racing after the cloaked figure.

"Stop!" I yelled after him, but knowing how stubborn he was, he didn't listen. The bells chimed in the distance as he ran as fast as he could. Deciding that Schmidt had seen enough, I closed the windows, cursing under my breath. Drawing the blinds, my hands rested on the windowsill, before a squeak made me turn around.

Schmidt was back in his chair, making odd noises as he buried his face in his hands. They slowly slid up to grip the sides of his head as he stared down at the carpet. He was muttering incomprehensibly under his breath, but I didn't have time to register what he was saying. The door opened with a creak, and I drew my sword as Tadashi walked into the room.

"You moron!" I yelled. "Are you out of your mind?!" When he didn't respond, I released an irritated huff, sheathing the blade. "So, how'd it go?" The brunette walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

"No luck," He responded, either moping because whoever it was had gotten away, or he was really just that slow. "He teleported away." His fists clenched. "The inn is protected by the system, so I thought we'd be safe here!" He slammed his fist into the wall, (The purple 'Immortal Object' sign appeared) and cursed. Anger instantly faded from my mind. Of course. He was upset that he wasn't able to save Yoruko from her death.

"That person in the robe was Griselda..." Schmidt finally spoke, loud enough for me to hear him this time. "It was Griselda's ghost! She's back to take revenge on all of us!" His body quivered as he spoke, and he let out a short laugh and continued. "A ghost could easily PK within safe areas..." He laughed again, sounding as though he was completely insane.

"It was no ghost..." Tadashi growled, and I turned my head to look at him. His fist was still firmly connected with the wall, and he sounded angrier than ever. "There must be some logical explanation to these two murders within safe areas. There has to be." As Schmidt's laughter died away into terrified sobs, we left him sitting there to get some fresh air.

I led Tadashi to a bench overlooking a magnificent fountain, I turned to him, hoping to continue our conversation.

"Was that black robed player really Griselda-san's ghost?" I asked finally. "Now that I've seen it twice myself, I'm starting to believe it too." Tadashi didn't tear his gaze from the grass underneath his feet, but he sounded slightly exasperated.

"No," He told me. "That's not possible. First of all, a ghost wouldn't be able to hold a teleport crystal..." He trailed off, before a thought occurred to him, straightening up slightly. "A teleport crystal?" Tadashi repeated, staring at the water glistening in the lights of the lamps surrounding the fountain's base.

"What is it?" I asked, turning to him. He tensed up slightly, before releasing a long, slow breath.

"Nothing," He responded, sounding slightly disappointed himself. Silence fell between us as we watched other players flock past, looking as though the only care they had was surviving, which was probably true. Tadashi scowled, resting his cheek on his knuckles, before I extended a small brightly wrapped package to him.

"Here."

"Is it for me?" He asked, sounding slightly childish. I scowled, looking at him with an 'are you serious' expression.

"What do you think?" I asked sarcastically. "You think I'm just showing it to you? I did say 'here' after all."

"Oh, thank you," He took the package, and held it in his hands before unwrapping the top of it. Before him sat a sandwich, thick with meats, salad, and various other foods.

"It's about to expire and vanish," I said, taking out my own sandwich. "So, you should hurry and eat it." He looked at me, slightly bewildered, but nodded.

"O...Okay..." He took a hesitant bite of it, and I glanced up at him to see his reaction. There was a pause as he stared at it again. "It's delicious." He took another bite, obviously savoring the flavor in his mouth as I started on my own sandwich. "When did you get the food?" Tadashi asked with his mouth full.

"I did say it's about to expire," I pointed out. "I was prepared for a situation like this, so I packed them in the morning."

"Nothing less from the leader of the BL's assault team," Tadashi commented, taking another bite. "By the way, where did you buy this from?" I was about to take another bite, when his question stopped me.

"It's not for sale," I muttered, lowering the sandwich. He made a noise that sounded like 'Eh?' and I continued. "You can't buy this. I can cook you know." He gulped slightly as I took another bite of the BLT, peeling back the paper slightly.

"You know, how should I put this..." Tadashi said awkwardly. "If you put this up for an auction, you could easily get rich." He laughed awkwardly, and I slammed my foot down on the grass, which muffled the sound. Startled, Tadashi fumbled with the sandwich, but he fumbled with it, and it landed on the ground. Seconds later, it exploded into data squares.

"I don't have anymore," I said, not sympathetic in the slightest. Tadashi gave a strangled noise, and fell onto all fours. I rolled my eyes, before realizing, like any boy, he would've gotten up by now. "What's the matter?" I asked, before he raised one hand, shushing me. A few minutes later, he gave an audible gasp of understanding. Startled, I scooting away from him slightly.

"I see! I get it!" He said, a grin spreading over his face.

"What is it?" I asked him, the sandwich hanging from my hands, forgotten. "What did you realize?"

"I...we, sorry, didn't see anything!" He said, which really cleared up my question. I rolled my eyes to the sky like, 'Gods help this poor unfortunate soul.' "We thought we saw it, but we were actually looking at something else!" My eyes widening, I suddenly understood what he was talking about. "There have never been any weapons or logic that could make murders possible in safe areas! Kains-san, and Yoruko-san...they're alive!"

"W-What?! They're alive?!" I repeated, and Tadashi proceeded to crawl back onto the bench. He looked at me, deadly serious.

"Yeah, they're alive," He nodded.

"B-But..." I protested.

"Within safe areas, player HP bars cannot lower under normal circumstances," Tadashi explained. "On the other hand, objects expire. Just like that sandwich. Back then, Kains' armor was pierced by the spear, but it didn't lower Kains' HP. Just the armor's durability."

"So," I said, putting the pieces together. "What fell down in pieces was..."

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "Kains' armor. And by timing it for the moment the armor broke, Kains teleported away. The result seemed like he had died, but but it was actually completely different."

"The same thing happened to Yoruko-san," I guessed. "She must have had the knife in her back the entire time she was talking to us, since she never turned her back. Not once. So, while she was speaking to Schmidt-san, she was confirming the decrease of her armor's durability. So, when it was time, she acted like the dagger had hit her from the outside, and fell, making it look like she had died, while also teleporting away as soon as the armor was destroyed. The figure in the black through..."

"I'm positive that it was Grimlock," Tadashi said. "Kains and Yoruko realized they could fake their deaths using this method, to try and figure out who killed Griselda."

"So, they were figuring out who the culprit of the ring case was," I said. "They faked their own deaths and created two phantom avengers, and even arouse more fear when people realized that it was supposedly possible for PKing in a safe area, when that's impossible. When Yoruko-san asked to speak with Schmidt-san..."

"They must have suspected him all along," Tadashi confirmed. "You still have Yoruko on your friend list right?" I frowned, and nodded, bringing down my menu and going through my friend's list and selecting Yoruko.

"She's on the nineteenth floor," I reported. "On a small hill that's close to town."

"I see," Tadashi nodded. "Anyway, let's leave this to them now. Our part in this case is over." I nodded.

"Well, since you were such a klutz and dropped the sandwich," I sighed. "And since I still owe you one meal, let's go back to the restaurant, okay?" A grin spread across Tasashi's face.

"Okay!"

* * *

><p>Floor 19-Hill of the Cross<p>

We arrived in style.

Tadashi had managed to get a horse from who knows where, since it was the fastest way to Yoroko. I clung onto his waist as he rode the horse, watching as the blurred shapes in the distance slowly came into view.

"Faster!" I urged him. "Come on!"

"Geez, fine," He grumbled, and flicked the horse's reins for it to go faster. The animal sped up, stopping in front of Yoruko, Kains, Schmidt, and none other than the PKing group, Laughing Coffin. The horse rose up on it's hind legs, throwing Tadashi into me, and we both tumbled off of the horse. Naturally, Tadashi tried for a better appearance, and he stood up, grinning.

"Seems like I made it just in time."

He helped me up, and I glared at him, rolling my eyes slightly as he smacked the rump of the horse, urging it to go running off. He gave me a cheeky grin, and started forwards.

"What are you gonna do now?" He taunted, and I resisted the urge to smack him upside the head. "Our reinforcements are going to be here soon. Would you want to face thirty people of the assault team?" The Laughing Coffin players cursed, and I drew my sword.

"Don't think about it," I warned them, and Tadashi drew his own weapon. After a tense moment, the leader of the the group snapped his fingers, and the others sheathed their weapons. Yoruko collapsed on her knees.

"We're out of here," The leader growled, and they started walking away. While Tadashi tended to Schmidt, I turned, watching them go until they were lost in the fog. Sheathing my weapon, I heard Tadashi speak.

"Good to see you again, Yoruko-san," He commented. Yoruko looked ashamed, and hung her head.

"I wanted to properly apologize to you once it was over," She admitted. "But I guess you won't believe me even if I say so, right?"

"Tadashi, Akira," Schmidt had spoken, and he got to his knees. "Thank you for saving us, but how did you know? That those three would ambush us here."

"We didn't know," Tadashi said, and patted me on the head. "We just sort of concluded that it was a possibility that you were going to be attacked by someone."

"Kains-san, Yoruko-san," I said, turning to face the two in question. "The two weapons you've got were made by Grimlock-san?" They nodded.

"He wasn't willing at first," Yoruko said. "He said he wanted to let Griselda-san rest in peace."

"But, as we kept begging him," Kains spoke for the first time since we had arrived. "He gave into our request."

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but he didn't oppose your plan for Griselda's sake," Tadashi said. "If you stage insane incidents like murders in safe areas, you'll draw way too much attention and eventually people would realize. We only realized it thirty minutes ago."

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes ago...<p>

Tadashi and I were back at the restaurant, and it seemed so long ago that Kains' murder was staged that fateful day after I had made him let me give him one meal. We were sitting at that same table, the one in the corner. It was empty, almost like after the murder was staged, everyone had decided to pack up and leave town.

"We ended up playing a part in Yoruko-san's plan," Tadashi said finally, staring down at the drink sitting in front of him. "But, I don't think you mind at all, and neither do I."

"Yeah," I agreed, noticing a smile creeping across his lips. "Say...If it was you, what would you do if you got a legendary drop?"

"Well..." He leaned back in his seat, folding his arms to think. "I hate it when things like that happen, so that's part of the reason that I'm a solo player."

"In my guild," I said. "The item belongs to the person who received it. That's our rule, at least. In SAO, its up to the player to announce what he or she received in battle. Then, it's better to set up a rule like ours than to put up with secrets and lies. And, its because of this rule that marriage in this world means something. If you get married, your item storage will be shared with your significant other. Even if you tried to hide something before, after getting married, you can't hide anything anymore." I smiled, and had to lace my hands together and press them to my upper lip to hide it. "Storage sharing is really a pragmatic system, and I don't really care for stuff like that, but to be honest...I think it's kind of romantic as well." The waiter came in a few seconds later, dropping in our meal.

"Say..." Tadashi said suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

"Akira, have you ever gotten married before?" Tadashi asked, and I frowned. This conversation had taken a weird turn, but it still sounded slightly suggestive. My eyes flashed, and I picked up a knife, fork, and pointed it at him, ready to impale him with it. "D-Don't get the wrong idea!" He yelled. "You just said it was romantic and plastic!"

"I didn't say that!" I said indignantly, kicking him underneath the table, the fork still not moving from his face. "I said it was romantic and pragmatic!" I set the fork down, and turned away from him, arms folded. "Pragmatic means it's practical and realistic!"

"Realistic?" Tadashi repeated. "Marriage in SAO?"

"Yeah! It's really blunt and straightforward!" I snapped. "Just imagine sharing your storage." There was a slight pause, and I glared at him. "What?"

"Storage sharing..." He muttered under his breath. "What happens to the items if your significant other dies?" I looked confused, so he continued. "Your storage is shared, so what happens if one person dies?"

"Of course," I said, understanding. "You mean Griselda-san and Grimlock-san. That's right...if one of them died...All the items would go to the other person! That means all the items in Griselda-san's storage, including the ring...would go to Grimlock-san, not the murderer!"

"It should," Tadashi corrected.

"Then your saying, the ring wasn't stolen?" I took in a sharp breath.

"No, it was stolen," Tadashi said. "Grimlock stole the ring from himself." My eyes grew wide and he clenched his fists on the table.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes LATER...<p>

"Grimlock," Schmidt said, in shock. "He was the one who sent the memo and killed Griselda?"

"No, I don't think he would dirty his hands directly," Tadashi said, folding his arms. "He probably asked red players to do the murder."

"But-" Yoruko said.

"Akira," Tadashi cut her off. "Go find Grimlock, and bring him here."

"Roger," I nodded, and took off into the woods, the mist closing in around me. As I ran, I heard their conversation fading into silence, and one hand gripped the sword at my side. A few minutes later, I spotted someone in the distance.

Tackling him, Grimlock and I fell to the ground, and I found myself pinning him down. I forced Grimlock to his feet, and drew my sword, making him walk forwards, back to where the others were. When I heard Yoruko, I felt slightly better, but still had to keep my attention on Grimlock. When Tadashi, Schmidt, Yoruko, and Kains came into view, I spoke.

"Found him."

They all glanced up, and Tadashi smirked.

"Let's hear the details from the culprit himself," He said, walking towards

"Long time no see, guys," Grimlock started out, and I prodded him in the back with my rapier.

"Grimlock-san...Did you...Did you really?" Yoruko whispered, before tears filled her eyes. "Why Grimlock?! Did you really desire the money that much that you'd steal the ring and kill your wife?!" Grimlock had the nerve to chuckle after that, and I glared at him.

"Money? Money you say?" He asked, and giggled to himself. "It wasn't for the money. I had to kill her no matter what. While she was my wife here, she was my wife in the real world as well. She was a perfect and ideal wife. She was cute and obedient. We never once had an argument. But...When we got caught in this world together, she changed. Unlike me, she wasn't startled, shocked, or scared by this terrible game of death.

"She became a lot more lively and active compared to before, and I had to accept it!" Grimlock said, and anger flared up in my stomach. "That the Yuuko that I loved had vanished! Then...Then, what if, in this world where murder is possible, I lock her...I wanted to lock Yuuko as she appeared in my memories for eternity! Who can blame me for that?!"

"You killed your wife for such a reason?" Tadashi demanded, obviously as angry as I was.

"This reason is more than enough," Grimlock growled. "One day, you'll understand too, detective boy. As you find love, and as you're about to lose it..."

"No, you're wrong Grimlock-san," I sheathed my sword, and walked towards Tadashi and the others. "It wasn't love that you felt towards Griselda-san." Halfway there, I turned, to look at him, feeling him wither slightly under my glare. "It was the feeling of possession!" As soon as the last word left my mouth, Grimlock made a noise like he was choking. He dropped to his knees, and stared at the ground. Tadashi was about to start forwards, but Kains and Schmidt got there first. They all started walking towards Grimlock, their faces set with determination.

"Tadashi-san, Akira-san, can you leave him to us?" Kains requested. Tadashi nodded.

"Definitely."

Kains and Schmidt picked up Grimlock by his arms, and carried him off, and Yoruko followed them, but turned to look back at us. She bowed once, and we returned the action with our own bow. Then, Yoruko chased after the others, and the sun started to peek over the horizon. Tadashi stretched with his arms in the air.

"Say," I said, watching Schmidt's, Grimlock's, Kains', and Yoroko's retreating backs. "Theoretically speaking, if you get married, and noticed a side of your partner that you hadn't noticed in the time that you knew them, what would you think?"

"I guess I'd think I'm kind of lucky," Tadashi said, getting over his shock of the question after realizing I was serious. "You know, if you married someone, doesn't that mean you love every side of your significant other that you know of? And if you find a new side, I'm sure you'll learn to love that one just as much." I sighed, folding my arms.

"Whatever," I said, shrugging. "More importantly, I'm hungry. I didn't get the chance to eat properly earlier."

"That's right..." Tadashi looked kind of sheepish. We had left the restaurant to catch up with Yoruko and the others to save them from Laughing Coffin, and we didn't have time to eat. I yawned, stretching.

"We've been away from the front lines for two days now," I pointed out. "We have to get back to work tomorrow."

"Yeah," Tadashi smiled. "I want to break through this floor by the end of the week." I started forwards, before Tadashi, being the idiot that he was, grabbed onto my arm.

"What?" I asked. He poked my arm twice, and I gasped.

Standing before us was Griselda's ghost, wearing a brown cloak, her black hair flying in the wind. She smiled, and nodded towards me, I glanced at Tadashi, whose mouth was hanging open. When I looked again, Griselda was gone. I smiled slightly.

"Hey, Tadashi-kun," I said. "Let's add each other as friends."

"Huh?" He was still staring at the spot where Griselda was standing, and I turned towards him, sighing. Tadashi finally snapped out of it, and turned his head to look at me.

"We haven't done that yet, right?" I commented. "If we're both on the assault team, it's inconvenient if we can't get in touch with each other."

"But I'm a solo player..." He complained.

"I didn't say we had to party up with me," I told him. "And besides, you should make some friends too."

"Yeah...well I wouldn't say it's inconvenient-"

I walked towards him, smacking him lightly on the shoulder, and cut off the rest of his sentence.

"Think about it while we grab some food," I sighed. "Let's get back to town first."

"Okay..."

I smiled, and started walking away from him, and he followed. I suddenly stopped and turned around.

"And Tadashi-kun, guess what?"

"Hm?"

"You're impossible."

And with that, I laughed slightly at his expression, and together we walked off into the rising sun.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I know, it's short, but it was good. Want to know why I added the 'You're impossible' bit? <strong>

**I'm not ganna tell ya, but when somebody guesses correctly using this hint, I'm going to dedicate the next chapter to them! ^_^ **

**Hint: What did Tasahi call Akira in the last chapter? (I'll give you another hint...it's at the beginning) **


	7. Chapter 7

**And here we are with a new chapter! Enjoy! **

* * *

><p>(Kira's POV)<p>

June 24th, 2024

48th Floor-Lindus

My footsteps sounded like gunshots in the quiet sunset, as I walked across a bridge, heading towards a shack-like building. A water wheel turned, humming softly as it churned across a river's surface. I paused as I reached the front door, checking down at the map I was using for reference. This was it. I needed sharpening on my blade, and from what I'd heard from the locals, this was the best place to do it.

Opening the door, a soft bell chimed within the shop, and in a few minutes, a girl popped out from behind the counter.

"Welcome to Lisbeth's Smith Shop!" She said cheerfully, as another girl walked out from behind her, she glanced at me with a smile, and I realized with a jolt, that I was looking at my younger sister.

"Thanks again Lis!" Akira said.

"Anytime!" The girl said. "You aren't on the front lines today?" She handed Akira a sword, which she strapped to her side. My sister shook her head.

"I took a day off," She explained. "I promised to meet someone today." A slightly blush crept across her cheeks.

"I see, I see," Lisbeth said, suddenly noticing something on Akira.

"What do you mean?" She demanded, before a chime startled to two girls. "Oh no, I have to go! Bye, Lis! See you around, Kira!" She gave me a swift hug before running out of the shop.

* * *

><p>I had to come back the following day for my sword, since Lisbeth specifically stated that it 'needed some serious work'. I opened the door, the bell chiming in the distance just as it did yesterday. I expected to see the shop empty, but found two others, speaking to a woman at the counter.<p>

The first had untidy brown hair, with a red cloak around his shoulders. From what I could see, he was wearing brown combat boots, and black pants. He finally turned, and I could see that he was wearing a black shirt with a brown belt, and white fingerless gloves. The person he was talking to, was none other than the kid who'd finally left me alone.

"Kichirou-kun?" I breathed. Kichirou turned at the mention of his name, and a grin spread over his face.

"Kira!"

Lisbeth glanced up from where she was still talking to the other boy, as Kichirou told him something, and jogged over to me, squeezing me into a bone-crushing hug.

"Ow...ribs!" I yelped and he released me. Lisbeth laughed.

"Back again, Kira-san?" She asked. "I'll help you in a minute, I have to help this one first." She turned to the boy. "What can I help you with?"

"Um," The boy thought, like he was trying to remember what he was going to say. "I'd like to order a custom-made sword."

"The metal prices have been rising..." Lisbeth said, looking over the brunette, eyebrow raised.

"Don't worry about the money," The boy said. "I just want you to forge me the best sword you can right now."

"Well, you'll need to tell me what stats you want your new sword to have..." Lisbeth admitted, and frowned at the boy.

"I see..." The boy frowned, and pulled his own sword off of his back. "Then, could you try to make it's stats as good as this sword?" He dropped it in her hands, and she placed it on the table, pulling it out. She inspected it and gasped.

"T-This is a legendary item," She gasped. "It probably counts as a Demon Sword among monster drops..."

"Can you do it?" The boy asked. Lisbeth frowned at the boy, before turning, and coming out with a sword.

"Try this one," She ordered, extending it towards him. "It's the best one I've ever forged." The boy took it, and swung it around, slicing through the air.

"It feels a bit too light..." He muttered, and Kichirou snorted next to me.

"I used a speed attributed metal for it," Lisbeth told him.

"Can I test it out?"

"Test what?"

"It's endurance."

He picked up his sword, and lay it across the table with halfway up the sword hanging off of the edge of the counter. He raised Lisbeth's sword into the air, and the blacksmith let out a squeak.

"Wait!" She yelled. "If you do that, the sword's gonna break!"

"Let's worry about that afterwards," The boy said dismissively. Activating a blue sword skill, he pulled the sword down through the air, and slammed it into the side of his own weapon. Lisbeth's sword shattered, the tip of it hitting the ground and exploding. Again, Kichirou snorted, and walked forwards.

"Nice going Tadashi," He muttered. Lisbeth screamed, and took the sword back from the brunette.

"It can't be repaired..." Lisbeth said after a moment. No sooner than the last syllable had rolled off her tongue, then the sword exploded into data bits.

"You idiot..." Kichirou seemed to be suppressing a laugh. "Now you've done it. You can hit it off with that other Front Liner girl, but not with her." I glanced at him confused. 'The other Front Liner girl?' What did that mean?

"Why would you do that?!" Lisbeth screamed, taking hold of the boy's collar.

"Sorry!" He said, panicked. "I didn't think it'd break from that!"

"You mean my sword was weaker than you imagined?!"

"Actually, yeah..."

She released the boy, and put her hands on her hips, her eye flashing and her face twisted with determination.

"Let me get this straight," She snapped. "If I have the right materials, I can easily forge something that will shatter your sword."

"Oh, I'd definitely want one of those. One that can shatter my sword."

"If you've got such a big mouth, then you'll have to stick around for the whole process!" Lisbeth yelled, her face flushed with anger.

"The whole process?" The boy repeated.

"Yeah!" Lisbeth confirmed. "Starting from the gathering of the materials!"

"I can do that alone," The boy said, shrugging indifferently. "You might get in my way."

"Would you please stop looking down on me?" Lisbeth growled. "I might look weak, but I'm a master macer!"

"Oh?" The boy sounded doubtful. "And where do we get the materials?"

"The west mountain on the fifty fifth floor," Lisbeth said simply as the boy picked up his sword, and sheathed it. "I've heard there's a dragon that eats crystals. Rumors say it's body contains rare metals."

"The fifty fifth floor, huh?" The brunette frowned. "I should really go alo-"

"You need a master smith to collect the metal!" Lisbeth cut him off, a smug look crossing her face. "Do you still want to go alone?" There was a moment of silence as the boy and Lisbeth had a staring contest.

"Just behave yourself," The boy said, giving in.

"You piss me off!"

"My name's Tadashi," The boy ignored her, holding out his hand to shake. "Let's work together at least until the sword is completed."

"I'm looking forwards to this, _Tadashi,_" She said his name with venom, and turned away from his outstretched hand.

"I hope we'll get along well...oh whatever..." He rolled his eyes, and sighed. "_Lisbeth._" He returned her actions in nearly the exact same way, and smirked at her reaction. "Kichirou, want to come?" He turned to the raven standing next to me and he clapped me on the shoulder.

"Only if she can!"

* * *

><p>Floor 55-West Mountain<p>

We had been walking for ages.

The cold that would've usually bothered me wasn't much of a problem, due to the heavy cloak I wore around my shoulders. Kichirou and Tadashi didn't seem particularly bothered either.

Lisbeth wasn't faring as well.

She was chattering her teeth quite loudly as she rubbed her arms to rid them of the goosebumps that clung to her skin. She breathed in loudly, and sneezed, her breath hanging in the cold air.

"I'm freezing..." She muttered, and Tadashi, who had been leading the group, stopped suddenly. I would have run into him, if Kichirou hasn't prevented me from continuing to move.

"Didn't you pack any extra clothes?" Tadashi asked Lisbeth, who scowled.

"I didn't know the fifty fifth floor was this cold," She grumbled. I sighed, and went through my menu, pulling out my winter cloak and throwing it to her. It landed on her head, covering the whole front of her body. She moved it aside, and looked up at me. "Will you be alright?"

"We're born different," I told her, straightening the collar of my cloak. She scowled.

"Now SHE'S starting to piss me off too!" Lisbeth muttered, staring after us as we started walking again.

"What's wrong Lisbeth?" Tadashi taunted. "At your limit already?"

"I'm still fine!" She yelled, and walked after us. "Also, if we're pretending to be all buddy-buddy, just call me Lis!"

"As you wish, _Lis,_" Kichirou, Tadashi, and I said in unison.

"Don't get cocky!"

* * *

><p>We had walked for nearly another hour, before coming upon a field of metals, stabbed into the powdery snow like javelins. Lisbeth admired her reflection in one of them for a moment, before glancing up at the forest of metals around us.<p>

"It's beautiful!" She breathed. She started forwards, until Kichirou grabbed onto the back of her, well rather, my cloak. "What are you doing?!" She demanded angrily.

"Get your teleport crystal ready," He said simply.

"Alright," She grumbled, digging into her pocket and coming out with the blue gem in question.

"And we're taking it alone from here on," Tadashi said. "When the dragon shows up, hide in the shadows of those crystals. You mustn't come out, no matter what happens."

"What? I'm not an amateur! Let me help!"

"No!" We said in unison. Lisbeth looked slightly taken aback before she nodded. Tadashi smiled, and patted her head.

"Now then, let's go."

We had barely walked a few paces, when the dragon's roar sounded. I drew the sword I had in replacement for my other one, and got ready.

"Hide in the shadow's over there!" I ordered, pointing to a particularly dense part of the seemingly endless forest of metal. Lisbeth obeyed, and Kichirou and Tadashi drew their own swords.

Then came the dragon.

Six thousand tons of pure shiny metal, it's roar rippled across the snow and ice, dislodging several thousand icicles from cliff edges far above us. The dragon itself was a light blue color, it's wings spread out over several meters. The claws were sharp and deadly, and it looked like they could easily spear a Front Liner with one swift motion. It's eyes were bloody red, and it had two horns sticking from it's temples. It's long lizard-like tail thrashed against the powder spread across the ground, sending snow and ice flying everywhere.

It roared again, flapping it's wings once, sending a jet wave of ice barreling towards us at top speed. It's mouth filled with icy blue energy, crackling as it formed into a ball the size of a tennis racket.

"It's using it's freezing breath!" Lisbeth yelled unhelpfully from where she was hiding. "Dodge it!" I darted forwards as the beam sailed towards Tadashi. I activated a sword skill and blocked it, sending a wave careening over the metals around us, slicing off several tips of the precious ores. When the dust cleared, it revealed the three of us, completely unharmed.

I sprinted forwards, my feet pounding viciously into the snow under my combat boots, Tadashi and Kichirou racing along behind me. We leapt for the dragon, activating sword skills left and right, slicing off it's scales. The dragon roared as we forced it back, over the sea of metal. It rose and dove for me, and I pushed off of the ground to meet it's sharp claws. Avoiding them with ease, one sword skill sliced off it's arm and the limb fell to the ground with a thud. A few seconds later, the data bits shuddered, and exploded into tiny squares. Things started to go our way, until Lisbeth decided to step out of her hiding spot.

"Come on!" She yelled impatiently. "Let's get it over with!" I cursed, and turned to look at her.

"You idiot!" Tadashi yelled. "Don't come out yet!" The dragon's eyes flashed, and it raised it's wings, ready to attack Lisbeth.

"What are you talking about?" She asked naively. "It's already ove-" The dragon's wings plunged down, kicking up an avalanche that encased Lisbeth. I hit the top of one of the metals, but didn't stay to rest. I pushed off from the side of the smooth solid, and hit the ground running.

"Lis!" I yelled, spotting her over a large crater in the ground, and I ran towards her. Tadashi surpassed me, and jumped over the hole, followed closely by Kichirou and I.

"Lis!" Tadashi ordered, snatching up her wrist. "Grab onto me!" She clung to him tightly as we spiraled off into darkness, Lisabeth's screams filling our ears.

* * *

><p>It took awhile for my vision to regain color after that fall.<p>

I found myself half submerged in snow, my HP gauge dangerously low. Glancing up, I found that the chasm we had fallen in was deeper than I had anticipated.

"We're still alive..." I muttered, struggling to get up. Lisbeth got up off of Tadashi, from whom she was lying on, and nodded.

"Yeah, we are."

Tadashi and Kichirou soon got up, and Tadashi got out a small bottle, handing it to Lisbeth. She took it, confused.

"Drink this," He ordered. Lisbeth stared down at the potion in his hand, while Kichirou and I got out our own small vials filled to the brim with red liquid. Uncorking the bottle, I drank it, feeling it burn it's way down my throat. As I watched, my HP managed to get up to the green zone, but not completely up. Kichirou and Tadashi did the same.

"Um..." Lisbeth said after a moment. "Thanks for saving me." The statement was directed at Tadashi, but the statement peaked my interest as the potion exploded into data shards after I had consumed it's contents.

"It's too early for that," Tadashi told her. "The real time for that, is when we're going to get out of here, which at the moment I have no idea how we're going to do that." Kichirou rolled his eyes.

"Honestly Tadashi, you'd think you'd have some common sense to NOT jump into a giant hole, especially in a death game." He said sarcastically. Tadashi glared at him.

"Hey, Tadashi-kun," Lisbeth said. "Can't we just teleport out?" She took out her teleport crystal, and glared at it, almost daring it not to work. "Teleport! Lindus!" She ordered it, but nothing happened. "But..."

"If we can't use crystals, there must be another way out," Kichirou said, getting up from his knees.

"You can't know that for sure!" Lisbeth protested. "What if this trap was designed to kill everyone who fell in?!"

"Oh yeah," Kichirou said. "You might be right." I mustered the strength to get up, walk over, and smack the raven upside the head.

"Idiot!"

Lisbeth nodded, agreeing with my actions.

"Could you two at LEAST sound like you care?!" She demanded, but it seemed as though Tadashi had not heard her.

"I've got an idea," Tadashi said suddenly. I groaned inwardly, knowing that if Tadashi was the kind of boy I was thinking of, this could only end badly. Lisbeth didn't seem to notice this. In fact, she was delighted at the fact that Tadashi had come up with a plan at all.

"Really?!" She gasped.

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "Kichirou, do you think you can help?"

"Depends on what it is," Kichirou said, still nursing the spot where I had smacked him.

"Running up the wall."

I sweatdropped, and Kichirou facepalmed. Finally, Lisbeth spoke.

"Are you nuts?"

"No!" Tadashi said indignantly.

"Nope," Kichirou said sarcastically. "Not at all. You know, once he tried to move a moon!" Lisbeth and I looked at him, confused.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Long story."

"Just let me try it first, okay?" Tadashi complained loudly. "And Kou-Kichirou, don't go spewing out stuff like that!" He backed up slightly, and took off, sprinting across the snow. He slowly gathered speed, and took off into the air, running literally on the side of the wall.

"No way," Lisbeth and I said, however, he didn't get very far. Tadashi's foot slipped on a piece of ice, and he plummeted, slamming into the ground. When he finally emerged from the human-shaped indent he had made in the snow, he was nursing his bumped head.

"If I had more room to propel myself, it would have worked," He muttered.

"Face it," I said. "It's impossible."

* * *

><p>Night soon fell, with little entertainment from Tadashi. The highlight of my day was when he had fallen from fifty feet in the air, but he seemed to be quiet enough to prevent Kichirou from making fun of him.<p>

We managed to get a small fire going, but I stayed away from it, and soon Kichirou followed me, leaving Lisbeth and Tadashi alone by the fire.

We had long since settled into our sleeping bags and Tadashi and Lisbeth seemed to be deep in conversation. Then, I spoke, my arms outstretched across the snow.

"Not quite like old times, huh?"

Kichirou turned to look at me, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I guess," He laughed. "We would've done something crazy, like join some guild that we were too advanced for." I sighed, and should've known he held a grudge still against the Sachi situation.

"Look, I'm sorry about that okay?" I grumbled. "I forgot a long time ago why I even joined the Black Cats." There was a pause.

"Sorry," Kichirou said finally. "I guess I'm still touchy about the subject. If it hadn't been for us..."

"Sachi would've still been alive," I finished the sentence for him, and I stared up at the stars twinkling far above us. Taunting us, it seemed. That they were up there, and we were stuck down here in this pit.

"Kira," Kichirou said finally. "Tadashi...he's my best friend in real life. He's a goofball at times, but he's a good guy, and I looked for him for a long time. I've only just found him."

"Same with my sister," I said, turning my head to look at him. "I just met her yesterday, and she was talking about having to meet someone. Any idea who that might be?" I saw Kichirou's eyes flash towards Tadashi for a split second, before he shook his head.

"No..."

"Oh."

I sighed, and looked back up at the sky. I trusted Akira's judgement, no matter what she did, but whoever this 'special guy' was that she had to meet yesterday was going to get a firm butt whooping from me if he ever did anything to hurt her.

A warm hand in my own startled me back into existence. I looked over at Kichirou, who was smiling softly, holding my hand in his own. My eyes widened, and I fought down a blush.

"Kichirou-kun..."

"Yeah?"

I didn't say anything, but simply nestled down into the sleeping bag, Kichirou's warm hand lulling me gently to sleep.

* * *

><p>When I awoke the next morning, I realized that Kichirou and Tadashi were already up, digging a hole in the deep snow. Stretching, I got out of my sleeping bag, and strapped my sword to my back.<p>

"What are you doing?" I asked the two boys as Lisbeth also woke up.

"Look at this," Kichirou showed me what he held in his hand. It was a mineral, and it looked like the exact material Tadashi needed for his new sword. Lisbeth seemed to realize this too, as she inspected it and gasped.

"Could this be...?"

"It's the material we came here for," Tadashi said. "The dragon eats the crystals and digests them. No one would find it!" He chuckled slightly, and tossed the mineral to Lisabeth, who caught it with a grunt.

"We did it!" She cheered. "But, why is it here?"

"This hole isn't a trap," I realized. "It's the dragon's nest. Which means the metal needed for Tadashi-kun's new sword is well...is the dragon's poop." There was a pause, in which Lisabeth looked to the metal to Tadashi, before shrieking, and tossing it towards him.

"Either way, we got what we came here for," Tadashi said, catching the ore. "Now we need to figure out..."

"Hey, you said this was the dragon's nest, right?" Lisbeth said suddenly.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"But dragons are nocturnal, so it should be..." She trailed off, and we all looked at each other, before looking into the sky. Racing towards us at the speed of a bullet, was none other than the icy blue dragon from before.

"It's coming!" I yelled, and we scattered, Tadashi grabbing Lisbeth around the waist. We all sprinted for the wall, and launched ourselves into the air, doing exactly what Tadashi had done last night.

"Hang on tight you guys!" I yelled, and we all drew our blades, slamming them down into the dragon's back. It roared, and flew upwards at the speed it came out. Lisabeth was screaming the whole way up, until the dragon forced us off of it's back, throwing us into the air. I was slammed into Kichirou, and blushed as he wrapped his arms around me. As we plummeted, I heard him mumble something and I forced myself away from him.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"What?"

And with that bright and cheery note, we fell into the snow with a huge, _WHOOM!_

* * *

><p>June 25th, 2024<p>

Floor 48-Lindus

I stood with Kichirou, Tadashi, and Lisbeth as we all watched Lisbeth make Tadashi's new sword.

"You wanted a one handed longsword, right?" Lisbeth asked him.

"Yes, please," Tadashi nodded. Lisbeth smiled, raising her hammer and slamming it down on the metal. She did this several more times until the piece of metal started glowing, taking form into a sword.

"Well, there you go!" She said, blushing slightly as she looked up at Tadashi. "Give it a try." Tadashi nodded, and picked up the sword.

"Okay," He said, and slashed with the sword several times.

"H-How is it?" Lisbeth asked nervously.

"It's heavy. It's a good sword," Tadashi told her, and a relieved smile broke over her face.

"Really?!"

"Yeah. I can feel your heart inside of it," Tadashi sheathed the sword. "Well, my request is complete. How much will it be?"

"Uh...well..." Lisbeth shifted uncomfortably. "You don't have to pay me. In exchange, I'd like to become your private blacksmith.

"What does that mean?" Tadashi asked, and I resisted the urge to facepalm. When she didn't respond, he tried saying her name. "Lis?"

"When you're back from the fields, come back here and let me do the maintenance on your equipment!" She said, rushed and red cheeked. "Every day! Starting from now on!"

"Lis..." Tadashi was started to blush now himself.

"Tadashi...I...I..." Lisbeth reached for his hand, but the door slammed open. I turned, and saw Akira forcefully opening the door.

"Lis! Nii-chan! I was worried sick!" She jumped over the stairs, and ran towards us

"A-Akira!" Lisbeth stammered. Before she attacked me with a hug, she first nearly knocked over the blacksmith with her own bonecrushing hug.

"Lis! I couldn't message or track you!" She sounded on the verge of tears. "Where have you been?!"

"Sorry," Lisbeth said. "I got held up in a dungeon." I smiled, and walked forwards, prying her off of the poor girl.

"A dungeon," Akira breathed in. "Alone?"

"No...with them..." She gestured to Tadashi, Kichirou, and I. She turned to look at the person she had pointed at last, and her eyes widened in recognition.

"T-Tadashi-kun?!"

"Hey, Akira..." Tadashi said, looking surprised to see her. "It's been awhile. Or not...it's been about what? Two days?"

"I was kind of surprised to see you here," Akira admitted with a smile. "I see, so you came here right away, didn't you? If you told me about it, I would've tagged along!"

"You two...know each other?" Lisbeth said, sounding slightly hurt.

"Yeah...we're both on the Front Lines..." Tadashi admitted.

"He wanted a strong sword, so I told him about your shop," Akira said, smiling.

"I see..." Lisbeth didn't seem very enthusiastic.

"I hope you didn't do anything weird to my best friend," Akira scolded Tadashi, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

"I-I didn't!" Tadashi protested.

"You sound so guilty."

"Would it hurt to trust me?! I almost died!"

"This is why I told you not to go alone!"

I had to resist the urge to laugh as Tadashi and Akira argued back and forth. I spotted Kichirou also doing the same, judging from his amused expression.

"Was he rude to you?" Akira asked Lis, smiling. The grin soon faded and was replaced with concern as she noticed Lisabeth's discouraged expression. "Lis?"

"Rude?" Lisbeth waved her hand in a dismissive manner, and obviously fake smile sprouting up to her lips. "Please. He just broke my best sword!" Akira seemed startled, and she bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's not something you need to apologize for," Lisbeth shook her head, and leaned in close, whispering something that I could only barely make out due to my advanced hearing skill. "He's a bit of a weirdo, but he's a good person. I'll be rooting for you. Good luck Akira!" She walked away, giggling, and a blush spread over Akira's face.

"It's not like that! Lis!"

"Sorry, I forgot I had an appointment to pick up some materials!" Lisbeth said. "I'll be back!"

"Huh?" Akira said. "But what about your shop!"

"Thanks again for watching over it in advance!"

"Hey, Lis!"

The blacksmith did not hear her cry, as she had left the shop. Tadashi left soon after, saying he needed to take care of something, and Kichirou followed him. That left Akira and I alone in the shop.

"Well," I finally spoke. "Long time no see, Yuu-chan."

And with that we hugged each other, reunited at last. The world could be crumbling, or some random monster could attack us at any moment, but at the moment, I could have really cared less.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed that chapter! Siblings, reunited at last! :3<strong>

**Bai! *Throws a smoke bomb and runs away screaming***


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright, it's going to be Akira for quite a few chapters, please don't hate me! In the next part of the book, it's definitely going to be more Kira then myself, so GOMEN in advance! **

* * *

><p>(Akira's POV)<p>

October 17, 2024

Floor 74-Dungeon

Clashing my sword against a Lizardman Lord's own weapon, my arm shuddered against the pure brute force of the weapons slamming against each other. The lizard slashed again, but I dodged, my agility giving me the upperhand. A narrow blow to the neck nearly decapitated me, but I jumped back, forcing two sharp blows to the monster's chest, and darting back to get more ground.

I sprinted away from him, and heard the Lizardman Lord activate a sword skill, and rush towards me. Twisting my ankle slightly, I turned, parrying the blade. Leaping and flipping over the monster's head, I slashed downwards, making a good sized cut in it's back. Ducking and rolling, two sharp jabs gave the lizard two deep holes in it's two feet, and with one slash upwards, it's side was also maimed.

The Lizardman Lord gave a defiant howl, slashing at my head while my back was turned. Ducking, I turned and cursed as I twisted my ankle. My right foot slid out across the floor, and with one thrust, I sank the sword deep into the monster's belly. Pulling the weapon out, the Lizardman Lord roared in pain, and it's body shuddered, before exploding into small data fractions. Panting, I relaxed and sheathed the blade, limping away from the other members of my guild who had come with me to help clear the dungeon.

Nearly two years have passed since this stupid death game began. I'm still going with the Blue Lightning on the front lines, and Tadashi and Kira are still soloing them. Despite all this, I know Kayaba Akihiko is somewhere out there, watching our slow yet steady progress towards the one hundredth floor. Wherever he was, when he met us, he was going to get a firm butt-whooping from everyone trapped in SAO.

* * *

><p>"So, how're you?"<p>

I was sitting in a restaurant, trying to ignore the stares and murmurs from the other people crowded around us. Kira sat across from me, attempting to distract me from all the whispers, but she was having a hard time ignoring them herself.

"Tired," I admitted. "Usually I'm filled with adrenaline and ready to fight a monster, but I'm just exhausted." Kira laughed and I stole a nervous glance outside, where my escort, Shiro, was standing, scowling at us through the window. Kira placed her hand over mine.

"Don't worry about Shiro-kun," She chided. "I've heard rumors around the village that he's jealous of the amount of time you and Tadashi-kun are spending together." I blushed.

"We're just friends," I said.

"Really good friends?"

"Shut up..."

Kira had the nerve to laugh, and my anger ebbed away in spite of her teasing me. Tadashi and I had been spending a lot of time together, and in fact, I had a feeling that Kira might've had a point. I wasn't sure if my feelings were blossoming into something more, but I was surprised that a rivalry gave into this.

"I've got to go," Kira sighed. "I promised-"

"Kichirou-kun that you'd go back to Lis with him," I teased. "I'd say that you two are becoming just as close as Tadashi-kun and I."

"Shut up!"

I laughed at her obviously irritated expression, and stood, leaving some money on the table as we exited the restaurant. I gave her a hug, before she turned, and jogged down the street. Turning to Shiro, I frowned at him.

"Alright, I have to go find someone," I told him, going through my menu, and immersing myself in my friend's list. Selecting track, I realized the person I was looking for was on Floor fifty.

"Akira-sama, I-" Shiro started.

"You don't have to come with me," I sighed. Shiro shook his head, adjusting his silver cloak.

"It's my duty to protect you, Akira-sama," He said. "Now, we're going together."

* * *

><p>Floor 50-Algade<p>

I found who I was looking for in Agil's shop. He was talking about burning something when I decided to interrupt. Tapping him on the shoulder I spoke his name.

"Tadashi-kun."

He turned, and I raised my hand in a greeting, while Shiro glared at Tadashi. He was silent for a moment, before he grabbed my hand in his own.

"I have captured my chef," Tadashi said, deadly serious.

"Wh-What?" I said, confused. I could tell Shiro was scowling at him, telling Tadashi, 'Let her go or else.' Tadashi released my hand, and I let it drop to my side.

"It's rare to see you in a place like this, Akira," He said hastily.

"It's almost time for the boss," I said, trying to keep a straight face. "I just came to make sure you were still alive."

"I'm on your friend list," Tadashi pointed out. "You can just tell from that..." Ignoring the comment, I put a hand on my hip, turning my head away from him.

"If you're still alive, that's good enough," I shrugged. "Anyway, so what was that about a chef?"

"Oh, yeah..." Tadashi remembered. "What's your current cooking skill?" I turned to him, and smirked.

"I maxed it out last week."

Tadashi's face went from calm and collected, to complete and utter shock in a matter of seconds. Agil gasped as well from behind him.

"What?!" Tadashi said, gaping at me.

"Pretty amazing, right?" I said with a grin.

"If you're that good, I have something to ask you," Tadashi said, and brought down his menu, offering up a trade with me. Examining the item list, I took in a sharp breath of air.

"Th-This is ragout rabbit!" I said, shocked.

"We'll trade," Tadashi said simply. "If you cook it for me, I'll let you have a bite." Glaring at him, I pinned the brunette up to Agil's counter, grabbing a fistful of his shirt.

"Half," I said, pronouncing every syllable slowly so he understood my intentions. There was a moment, until he finally nodded.

"O-Okay..."

Releasing him, I backed away from him, and pumped my fist in the air, grinning.

"Alright!" I cheered. Tadashi shook his head, smiling slightly at my reaction.

"Sorry," He told Agil. "Guess I won't be selling it after all." Agil froze.

"Hey, we're buddies, right?" He stammered. "Just give me a taste..." Tadashi ignored him, smiling as he walked towards the exit of the shop.

"I'll give you a two-page report of on it's taste," The brunette called over his shoulder. I followed him from Agil's place, and Shiro soon followed.

"Then, where would you like me to cook it?" I asked Tadashi, who stopped, scratching his chin.

"Well..."

"You probably don't have any cookware at your place," I told him with a smile, and he turned towards me. "Just this once, and only because the ingredient is so good, we can use my place." He froze in shock, and I turned back to Shiro. "That will be all for today. Goodbye."

"Akira-sama, you can't let such a suspicious person into your home!" Shiro protested. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"He may be suspicious, but he's also quite skilled," I told Shiro, and Tadashi's face fell. "He's probably ten levels above you, Shiro."

"You're suggesting he's superior to me?" Shiro demanded, angry. His face suddenly dawned with comprehension, and he tensed. "I see. He's one of those beaters!" I tensed up.

"Yeah, I am," Tadashi said.

"Akira-sama," Shiro said indignantly, marching towards us. "All they care about is themselves! Nothing good will come from being around him." Conversations around us stopped abruptly, and I could hear myself being recognized.

"What's going on?"

"That's Lightning Survivor Akira!"

"You're right! She's really cute!"

"Just go home for today," I instructed Shiro sharply. "That's an order from your vice commander." I turned and started walking away, before I paused, and turned back to my so-called 'escort.' "And Shiro, if you want to keep your tongue, I'd watch what you'd say. I don't believe you recall, but I happen to be a beta tester as well." I started forwards again, grabbing onto the back of Tadashi's cloak, and dragging him with me.

"H-Hey, are you sure about this?" He protested.

"I'm sure!"

* * *

><p>Floor 61-Slemburg<p>

The water rushed softly against the walls that surrounded the city of Selmburg. We were walking across the entrance to the city, a large marble entrance with columns that seemed to reach to the sky. It was just the two of us, and the setting sun.

"It's huge, and mostly empty," Tadashi commented. "It's really liberating."

"Then you should move here," I said simply.

"I don't have nearly enough money," He sounded slightly upset that he was deprived of the money needed to live here. "Anyway, are you really sure about that guy back there?"

"I told them I don't require an escort," I admitted. "But they said it's the policy for leaders. The commander used to personally invite everyone to join us. We were such a small guild. But, then we started getting more and more people, and people started to say we were the strongest guild. Everything got weird." I sighed, and listened to the distant bells, before turning around, and putting on a smile. "Well, it's not a big deal, so don't worry about it!" I turned back around, the grin quickly fading. "It's getting dark. Let's hurry."

"R-Right..."

* * *

><p>We arrived at my house before long, but by then the sun was nearly hidden behind the non-existent mountain ranges. Taking out my key from my pocket, I unlocked the door, allowing Tadashi inside before me. He gasped as I turned on the lights, illuminating the sitting room.<p>

"E-Excuse me," Tadashi said. "But...how much did all of this cost?" I thought for a moment.

"Um...the room and the furniture were probably around 4,000,000 coll..." I said after a moment, but started walking towards the hallway. "I'll go change, so have a seat." I flashed him a small smile, before walking into my bedroom, and shutting the door behind me. Leaning against it I sighed, and got rid of my usual Blue Lightning uniform.

Selecting the night-clothes I usually wore, the game automatically put them on my player. I was wearing a purple tank-top with a grey pair of shorts. I walked out of the room, and smiled, putting a hand on my hip when I saw Tadashi.

"How long do you plan to stay dressed like that?" I asked teasingly.

"O-Oh, right."

He got up, and I went into the kitchen, getting out the ragout rabbit meat. He came in a few minutes later, wearing a red jacket with a white shirt underneath, and a pair of brown sweatpants. He watched as I got out a pan, and selected the ragout rabbit meat, and it plopped down in the tray.

"So, this is a legendary S-Class ingredient?" I said, looking at the meat. "How do you want it cooked?"

"Chef's choice," He said with a smile.

"Is that so? Well then let's see..." I thought for a moment, before nodding. "Alright then, I'll make a stew!" I got out a pot, and several other trays for ingredients. Going into my menu, I got out several ingredients and they were automatically distributed throughout the plates. "It's ragout rabbit, and ragout is a type of stew." I got out a knife and held out my hand, catching the utensil as it fell. Tapping the rabbit meat, it instantly turned into equally cut pieces. Doing the same to all the other ingredients, I glanced up at Tadashi's expression, and smiled slightly at his dumbfounded look. "Normally you need to do a lot more," I said, pouring the meat into the pot filled with water. "Cooking in SAO is oversimplified. It's boring."

I placed the pot into the oven and closed the entrance to it, setting the timer with a simple tap. "Well, that takes care of the stew!" I said cheerfully, taking off the mittens and setting them down on the counter. "I'll make some side dishes." I got out several other foods and started preparing other foods to go with the main course.

About thirty minutes later, the timer dinged for the ragout rabbit stew to be done. Sliding back on the mittens, I opened the oven door and took out the pot, and set it down on the hot pad I had already set out for the stew. Smirking at Tadashi, I pulled the top of it off, and I heard his stomach moan loudly when he saw the contents.

* * *

><p>I set down my spoon, and sighed happily, looking at the remains of dinner. I leaned back in my seat, and stared up at the ceiling as smile spreading over my face.<p>

"I've been here two years, and this is the first S-class ingredient I've had..." I admitted. "I'm glad I've survived this long."

"Yeah," Tadashi agreed. I looked at him, picking up my tea cup, and looking down at it's contents.

"It's strange..." I said softly. "It kind of feels like I was born and raised here my entire life. It's just a feeling though."

"Lately, there are days where I can't even remember the other world," Tadashi agreed, swirling his own drink. "And it isn't just me. Recently, fewer and fewer people have been giving all to clear the game. "

"Yeah," I nodded. "Fewer than five hundred players to be exact. That's roughly about how many are still on the Front Lines. Everyone has grown accustomed to this world." Raising my cup, I sighed, trying for a positive spin on this very depressing conversation. "But I want to go back. There are lots of things I never had the chance to do there."

"Yeah," Tadashi smiled, and nodded. "Unless we do our best, it isn't fair to the merchants and others who are supporting us." We both took a sip of the tea in our cups, and I glanced up at Tadashi, before frowning.

"Stop it," I scowled.

"What?"

"Lots of people with that same expression have proposed to me."

Tadashi accidentally bonked the table with his knee, and I opened one eye, noticing his deep blush. I laughed.

"From the looks of things, you aren't close to any other girls," I said, grinning, and Tadashi scowled, the blush still hot on his cheeks.

"It's fine," He muttered. "I'm a solo player." I raised my cup to my lips, before setting it down with a soft _chink_.

"You don't want to join a guild, Tadashi-kun?" I asked him curiously. "I know the beta testers don't fit in with groups, but I managed to get into the Blue Lightning, and I'm a beta tester. However, ever since we hit floor seventy, the monster algorithms seem more and more irregular. I'm barely keeping up with it all. And besides, there are things a solo player can't handle, and you can't always warp out."

"I keep a solid safety margin," Tadashi informed me. "And most party members are more likely to slow me down then to be any help."

"Oh?" In an instant, I had stood and picked up a stray knife on the table. I flicked it towards his face, inches from his nose.

"I get it..." Tadashi said, trying to inch away from the knife. "You're the exception..."

"Right," I pulled the deadly utensil from his face, and Tadashi breathed out a sigh of relief. "If that's the case, then party up with me. It's been forever." The brunette slammed his knee into the table again, and I looked at the knife in my hand, spinning it in my fingers. "Also, red is my lucky color this week."

"What?!" Tadashi protested. "But what about your guild?!"

"We don't have any leveling quotas."

"Th-Then what about your escort?"

"I'll ditch him."

Tadashi scowled, and I went into my menu, coming up with a party invite. He stared at it, before speaking.

"The front lines are dangerous."

I activated a sword skill, and slashed the knife towards his face, a deadly sign of, 'accept or I'm going to hurt you.' There was a moment, until Tadashi sighed.

"F-Fine."

Accepting the offer, I smiled, and flipped the knife into the air, catching it. Tadashi sighed, and I watched as his HP gauge appeared below mine.

* * *

><p>It was late at night, and time for my temporary guest to leave. We stood together outside my home, Tadashi in his full battle gear, and me, just in my night clothes.<p>

"I suppose I should thank you for today," I said finally. "Thanks for the meal!"

"You too," Tadashi said. "I'll ask you for help again. Or I would, but I doubt I'll find an ingredient like that again."

"If your skilled, you can make good foods with regular ingredients," I pointed out, before the smile slid from my face, and I looked over the other houses, towards the dungeon and the stars glimmering in the sky.

"The way the world is now..." Tadashi said softly. "Is this really what Kayaba Akihiko really wanted to make?"

* * *

><p>October 18, 2024<p>

Waking up to an annoying alarm clock isn't my favorite way to get up, but in this world and in the real one, it was how I got up when I had to meet someone or go to school. In this case, it was the first one. I had agreed to meet Tadashi in Kamdet so we could work on clearing the dungeon together. However, things didn't go as I planned.

I got dressed into my usual uniform, and ate a quick breakfast, but when I opened the door, the person I least expected to be there, was standing right next to the window that looked into the kitchen.

"S-Shiro-kun?!" I demanded. My escort turned and looked at me with cruel eyes.

"Oh, yes, hello Akira-sama," He said dryly. "Come, we have much to do." And with that, he took hold of my wrist, and dragged me down the stairs that led to my home. Wrenching myself from his grip, I backed up.

"Shiro-kun, what the heck are you doing?!" I demanded.

"Ah, you see, Akira-sama, it is my duty to protect you from suspicious looking players," Shiro said plainly. "And that man you were in company of was not only a beta tester, but a beater as well."

"I may not be a beater," I growled. "But I'm a beta tester too, and we're not some rare disease! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go somewhere. Your services will no longer be required." Turning, I attempted to walk down the streets, but Shiro grabbed onto my wrist.

"Akira-sama, we are going for some training in the dungeon, _if you don't mind,_" He said, and started dragging me the opposite way of where I wanted to go.

"Let go of me!" I tugged on my wrist, but Shiro's grip was like iron. This didn't stop me from trying to get free. I swept Shiro's feet out from under him, and he fell, right on top of me. I was sincerely glad we were in a safe zone, otherwise, Shiro's pure weight would have killed me. Pushing my escort off of me, I managed to free my hand, and get up.

I didn't make it far.

Shiro lunged, and grabbed onto my legs, forcing us both down onto the pavement, but cutting my cheek in the process. He dragged me towards him, and was instantly hovering above me, putting full weight on my wrists, pinning them to the road. Really uncomfortable with the position I was stuck in, I slammed both my knees upwards, and Shiro rolled off of me, groaning in pain. I scrambled upwards again, sprinting for the teleport gate at the top of the hill I was running up. Passing houses, I brought out my crystal and glanced behind me. Shiro was getting to his feet.

"Teleport! Kamdet!" I yelled, and the portal opened up before me. I was almost there. A hundred yards, fifty yards, and then, I ran through the teleport gate, a swirl of blue blinding me.

* * *

><p>Floor 74-Kamdet<p>

"Watch out!"

I slammed into Tadashi, and we both hit the ground. Overreacting slightly, I backhanded the poor brunette into the wall a couple hundred yards away. Groaning, he got up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Good morning, Akira," He said slightly shocked. I breathed out a sigh, and was about to apologize before the gate opened behind me. I got up and ran towards Tadashi, hiding behind him. "What's wrong?" He asked me, before Shiro stepped out of the portal.

"Akira-sama," He said noticing me. "You shouldn't act like this. Let's go back to guild headquarters." My grip tightened on Tadashi's shoulder, and I glared at my escort.

"No!" I yelled defiantly. "And what were you doing outside my house so early in the morning anyways?!" Tadashi tensed underneath my hands, and he turned to look at me, and seemed to notice the scratch I had across my cheek.

"I thought this might happen," Shiro said simply. "So for the past month, part of my mission has been to observe you in Slemburg." Pressing my hand to Tadashi's back, I could tell he had noticed I was shaking.

"Th-That wasn't in the guild leader's orders, was it?" I demanded.

"My orders are to guard you," Growled Shiro. "That includes at your home."

"No it doesn't, idiot!"

Shiro released a sigh, and I glared at him.

"You should stop acting like such a brat," My escort said, irritated. He started walking down the teleport gate's steps, and he advanced upon me. "Now, let's return to headquarters." I attempted to run before he got to me, but he snatched onto my wrist, and forced me forwards. For a split second, my eyes locked with Tadashi's and he took a step forwards, grabbing onto Shiro's wrist, and preventing him from moving.

"Sorry," Tadashi said, not sounding sorry in the slightest. "I'll be borrowing your vice commander today." Jerking his hand up, the brunette forced Shiro to release me. The escort growled, and forced his wrist away from Tadashi. "I'll take responsibility for her security. We aren't facing a boss today. You can go to headquarters alone."

"No!" Shiro cursed at Tadashi. "A low-level player like you couldn't possibly protect her! I am a member of the glorious Blue Lightning..."

"I can do a better job than you," Tadashi said as I rubbed my wrist. Shiro's face contorted with rage, and I could see a vein throbbing in his temple.

"If you're that certain," He said, bringing down his menu. "You're prepared to prove it, right?" A few seconds later, a duel request popped up in front of Tadashi. He turned to look at me for acceptance and I hesitated. I knew for a fact that the brunette was stronger than Shiro and I didn't want the escort getting hurt, even if he was a jerk. As I thought, I realized something. Tadashi was too nice to really kill someone, and besides, Shiro deserved it. I touched my cheek, where the cut still throbbed even if it was only virtual, and nodded.

"Are you sure?" Tadashi asked.

"It's fine," I promised, lowering my hand. "I'll speak with the guild leader." Tadashi nodded, his eyes fixing on the slice across my cheek, before accepting the duel request. Instantly, the screen appeared, reading, 'Duel. Shiro VS Tadashi'. Shiro drew his two handed sword, and I watched as the time slowly counted down from sixty seconds.

"Watch carefully, Akira-sama!" Shiro called over to me, a wide smirk crossing his quite ugly features. "I'll prove that only I can protect you." Tadashi looked utterly unamused, drawing his sword, and getting into position as I backed up. As the clock counted down from ten, I watched a Tadashi examined Shiro's sword, and watched for any openings.

3...2...1...

The duel had begun. Almost instantly, both Shiro and Tadashi activated sword skills, rushing towards each other.

Time seemed to move in slow motion after that.

Just before they passed each other, Shiro attempted to bring his sword down on Tadashi's head. Frowning with concentration, the boy swung his sword upwards, the green sword skill still bright on the weapon. Shiro and Tadashi's sword collided, and the two shot past each other. In a few moments, the upper part of my ex-escort's sword impaled into the ground. Shiro raised what was left of his weapon, in shock.

"I-Impossible..." He stammered. A few seconds later, the sword exploded into data. Tadashi relaxed from the position he was still in, and turned towards his defeated rival, sheathing his blade.

"If you want to try with another weapon, I'm okay with it," He said simply. "But that's enough, isn't it?" Shiro cursed Tadashi again, and pulled down his menu, coming out with a short dagger. He charged towards the brunette, and I sprinted forwards, drawing my blade, and in one swift motion, disarmed Shiro.

"A-Akira-sama," Shiro stammered. Lowering my arm, I glared at Shiro through narrowed eyes. "He cheated!" The once-escort roared, pointing at Tadashi. "He used some sort of trick to destroy my sword! Otherwise, I wouldn't have lost to some dirty beater!"

"Shiro," I said sharply. "This is an order from the Vice Commander of the Blue Lightning. As of today, you are relieved of your escort mission. Stand by at guild HQ until you receive further orders. That is all."

"Wh-What?" Shiro stammered, shocked. "You..." He glared at Tadashi, who stared back, narrowing his eyes. Finally, he sighed, giving up. Giving Tadashi one last hateful look, he stomped towards the teleport gate like a three year old. "Teleport," He growled. "Marten." The portal closed in around him, and I released a sigh, and nearly passed out. Tadashi seemed slightly surprised, and managed to catch me before I hit the ground. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I turned to face Tadashi.

"Sorry for involving you in that," I apologized.

"No, it's fine," He assured me, and gently touched the cut on my cheek. I flinched slightly, and he sighed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded, taking his hand, and gently pulling it away from my face. "I just fell trying to get away from Shiro earlier. Besides, I think the problems with my guild are because I was too focused on clearing the game. And because I was too strict with the other members." Tadashi looked down, and I released his hand.

"That...Well I don't know," He told me. "If you hadn't been, we'd never have come nearly as far. I just mess around as a solo player, so I have no right to judge. Still, even if you take a day off to party with a slacker like me, I don't think that gives anyone the right to complain."

"Well, I guess I'll say thanks," I said, slightly taken aback by his words. "So, I'll accept your offer and take it easy today. I'll play as forward." I sheathed my sword, and patted Tadashi on the shoulder, walking away.

"W-Wait a second!" He said, running after me. "We take turns as forward!"

"I'll do it tomorrow!"

"No way! Akira! Wait!"

* * *

><p>Floor 74-Dungeon<p>

Strike, stab, parry, thrust.

It was sort of the same pattern as I battled a Demonic Servant.

Leaping backwards, I dodged a heavy blow to my head, and slashed upwards, cutting into what was left of the skeleton monster. Jumping, I flipped upwards, and nearly sliced the monster in half, it it wasn't for it's stupid shield. Dodging several poison daggers that were thrown at me, I sprinted forwards, following up with three sharp jabs to the monster's chest. Ducking down, I sliced at it's feet, and I jumped upwards, parrying a blade from the skeleton, and slashing twice across it's skull.

"Tadashi-kun!" I yelled. "Switch!"

"Right!" He responded. I could tell he wasn't focused as I activated a pink sword skill, slamming it into the Demonic Servant's shield. It let out a roar that made my ears ache, and it slashed down towards me. Tadashi came in the way of the strike, and parried it. Slicing in a complete square just as I had done, the skeleton roared, and slashed down with a green sword skill. Dodging it by jumping, Tadashi leapt into the air, activating an orange sword skill. He yelled, bringing his weapon through the air and spinning in a circle, slamming his sword into the Demonic Servant's neck, amputating it the hard way. A few seconds later, it exploded into data.

* * *

><p>We continued walking through the dungeon, anxious to earn more EXP. Tadashi had sped up, when I noticed something, almost three hundred yards in front of us.<p>

"Tadashi-kun, look," I said. He glanced up from the map he was creating to use next time he was in the dungeon, and gasped. Standing before us was an eight foot tall door, arched over and met in a sharp peak. It was decorated with skulls and several other disturbing images, and the doors towered above me as I ran up to them.

"Isn't this..." I whispered.

"I bet it is," Tadashi nodded. "The boss room."

"What do we do?" I asked, taking hold of his sleeve. "Just take a look?"

"Boss monsters never leave the rooms they guard," Tadashi said, clenching his fists. "If we just open the door, we'll be okay."

"I know," I said. "You're not the only beta tester in this room. We should at least have a teleport crystal ready, just in case."

"Yeah," Tadashi agreed. We both dug into our pockets, bringing out the blue rectangular crystals. "Ready?" Tadashi asked. "I'm going to open it." I nodded slowly, and together, we placed the back of our hands on the door, easing it slowly open. Taking the first few steps into the room, we readied our blades, tensing as a low growl came from within the room.

Suddenly, blue fire erupted to life and spread across the walls in braziers. The boss appeared from the middle of the room, its icy blue eyes hungry, and the four health bars appearing by his head. My eyes widened with fear, and I took a step backwards as the demon roared, readying it's spear.

It's eyes scanned the room, looking for victims, and they fixed onto us.

We had been found.

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUNNNNN~<strong>

**I hope you realize that I'm slowly shipping Tadashi and myself...*Evil giggle***

**I'm sure you did, by this chapter. ANYWHO, hope you enjoyed.**

**Sorry again for the fact that I'm going to have more Akira then Kira in these next few chapters. **

**BAI PEOPLE!**


	9. Chapter 9

_Previously on this random story..._

_"Ready?" Tadashi asked. "I'm going to open it." I nodded slowly, and together, we placed the back of our hands on the door, easing it slowly open. Taking the first few steps into the room, we readied our blades, tensing as a low growl came from within the room._

_Suddenly, blue fire erupted to life and spread across the walls in braziers. The boss appeared from the middle of the room, its red eyes hungry, and the four health bars appearing by his head. My eyes widened with fear, and I took a step backwards as the demon roared, readying it's spear._

_It's eyes scanned the room, looking for victims, and they fixed onto us._

_We had been found._

* * *

><p>Raising it's sword, a name appeared above the monster's head.<p>

'The Gleam Eyes.'

Taking a step backwards, Tadashi grabbed onto my wrist and dragged me backwards, out of the room. He took off down the paths, cursing as I freed myself, and ran beside him, confused. We only stopped when we reached a large clearing that seemed deprived of monsters for the time being.

"That look like a tough one," I said softly, finally speaking.

"No kidding," Tadashi muttered. "He only seemed to have a large sword with him, but he definitely has some special attacks up his sleeve."

"Seems like we don't have any other choice than to put all our best players up front and keep switching," I agreed.

"We need at least twenty players, all equipped with shields."

"Shields huh?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" He turned his head to look at me. I pulled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my upper thighs.

"Aren't you hiding something?" I said finally.

"What are you talking about all the sudden?" Tadashi asked, suddenly defensive.

"It's strange," I told him. "Doesn't a person who normally holds a one handed sword also hold a shield? But, I've never seen you hold a shield. In my case, I don't use one because it'll affect my handling speed with the rapier. There are people who prefer that style though. And it seems you still haven't used that sword from Lis...In a way, Shiro had a point. You are suspicious." There was a moment of silence as we both glared at each other, before I shrugged, smiling. "Well whatever," I said. "Inquiring about skills is rude." I smiled hearing his release a sigh of relief, and I brought down my menu. "Okay, let's have lunch since it's gotten that late already."

"What?" Tadashi gasped, and I selected a picnic basket, and it dropped into my hands. "Hand made?"

"Yup," I smiled, and pulled back the cloth covering the basket's contents. You should put away your gloves before eating them."

"Oh, right!" He nodded, and got rid of the white gloves covering his hands.

"Here you go," I said, handing him a sandwich. It was the same one as the night we had spent together, only with different ingredients. Tadashi took the sandwich, and took a bite.

"Delicious!" He gasped, and sank his teeth back into the sandwich, tearing off another piece and chewing it. "But how'd you come up with this taste?" I smiled, watching him eat the food, before going back into my menu, which was still hanging in front of me, and selecting skills, and then cooking.

"It's the result of two years worth of training and studying," I said as screens appeared around us. "Hundreds of seasonings are found in Aincrad; I realigned the parameter of the taste buds property found in them, and I made all these." I reached into the basket, and took out a bottle filled to the brim with green liquid. "This is Groglan seed and Shuburu put together." I uncorked it, and dripped a drop into Tadashi's hand. He looked at it, before giving it a taste

"It's mayonnaise," He said, shocked. I resisted the urge to laugh at his dumbfounded expression, but instead got out the jar filled with purple liquid.

"And this one's Aburupame and Luura-fish put together," I explained, tipping the bottle slightly, and a drop of the liquid fell onto Tadashi's outstretched hand. He drank it, and froze, staring down at his hand.

"This...this is...it's soy sauce, isn't it?" Tadashi gasped, turning his head to look at me. I stared at him, before letting out a small giggle.

"I used these to make the sandwich sauce," I explained.

"Amazing," Tadashi said, grinning. "It's perfect! You will start making lots and lots of money if you start selling this." I blinked, and looked down into the basket.

"I wonder..."

"No, on second thought, you shouldn't," Tadashi shook his head.

"Huh? Why?" I demanded.

"It'll be problematic if I can't get more of these," The brunette said, his words sounding childish, but his expression deadly serious. I sighed.

"You're so greedy," I sighed, turning away from him. "I'll make more for you when I feel like it." A moment of silence fell between us, until the sound of someone emerging from a portal made me jump. Putting the basket away, Tadashi and I jumped up, ready to attack.

"Man that was rough..." The boy in front groaned. I released hold on my sword, seeing a familiar mane of blonde hair.

"Izumi-chan?" I gasped. The girl glanced up, and grinned.

"Akira-chan!"

She ran towards me and we embraced. Tadashi looked confused until somebody called his name.

"Oh, Tadashi! It's been awhile!"

Tadashi released hold on his sword, and blinked.

"You're still alive, Hiroshi?" He asked.

"You sure are as awkward as ever," The boy smirked, then noticed me and Izumi talking about nothing in particular. "What's this? A solo player like you with a girl?" I turned to look at the boy, confused.

"Well...um..." Tadashi said, obviously uncomfortable. "I'll introduce you even though you've already met on the boss conquests. This is Hiroshi, from the guild Jadehands. And this is Akira, from the guild the Blue Lightning." I backed up slightly from Hiroshi's penetrating stare, and Izumi rolled her eyes at him. Suddenly, Hiroshi stiffened up and bowed his head, sticking out his hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you, I'm twenty four and looking for a lover..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Tadashi socked Hiroshi in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. I gasped, and backed up. Izumi put her hand reassuringly on my shoulder.

"This usually happens," She whispered. "Don't worry. Though Hiroshi-san's never been punched in the stomach before..." She had barely finished her sentence when the other members of Jadehands surrounded us. Tadashi put his arm out in front of me in a protective motion as they glared at him.

"It's Akira-san!" They said suddenly as one, their faces changing from anger to excitement. Izumi and Tadashi went forwards to block them from surrounding and carrying me away.

"Well they aren't BAD people," Tadashi said, noticing my shocked look. "Even if their leader looks like one..." Izumi laughed.

"He's got a point," She agreed. No sooner had the words slipped from her mouth, then Hiroshi appeared, stomping down on Tadashi's foot. He cringed and glared at Hiroshi.

"You!"

"That's payback, screw you!" Hiroshi said, grinning. As the boys started fighting back and forth, Izumi broke away from the group, and I started laughing. The group went into the huddle, and started talking in low voices.

"Nice to meet you!" I said finally. "I've formed a party with this person!"

"Tadashi!" Hiroshi growled. "Why you-"

"Wait a second!" Tadashi protested. I froze, hearing footsteps, and instantly hoped it wasn't my guild coming to fetch me.

"Tadashi-kun," I said sharply. To my relief, I realized that they weren't wearing silver and blue. It was all grey.

"They're..." Tadashi said, recognizing the group. "From the army!"

"Why is the massive group that is in control of the first floor here?" Izumi demanded.

"They suffered a great deal of casualties on the twenty fifth floor," I explained. "Then they morphed from a guild into a society that didn't appear in battles much but..." I trailed off as Izumi and Tadashi tensed. The commander of the Army turned to his men, obviously displeased with their performance.

"Rest!" He roared, and the tightly knitted formation collapsed into chaos. The commander proceeded to walk up to us. "I am Aincrad-society hall's Colonial Kobatsu," The commander said.

"Tadashi, solo," Tadashi said obviously trying to sound polite, but sounded tense and ready for attack.

"Are you also on a conquest?" Kobatsu asked.

"We've mapped until the boss's location," Tadashi said. The commander gave a sound that sounded suspiciously like a snort.

"Then, I'd like you to surrender that mapping data," Kobatsu ordered. It wasn't a friendly suggestion, it was more like a command. Izumi glared at him.

"You're telling us to hand it over for free?" She questioned, frowning. "Screw you, do you even know the difficulty of mapping a dungeon?!"

"We are fighting to bring this information to all of the players here, and freeing them from this death game!" Kobutso roared. "So, having you cooperate with us is the rightful thing to do." I glared at him, and clenched my fists.

"You know-"

"Why you..." Hiroshi cut me off, tensing with one hand tightly wrapped around his blade hilt.

"Stop it," Tadashi said, raising his hand to stop the inevitable fight. "It's just some data that will make me regret taking it back to town. I don't mind." He brought down his menu screen and offered up a trade with Kobutso.

"Hey Tadashi, you're too kind of a person!" Hiroshi said.

"I don't have any plans on trading my map data and profiting from it," Tadashi shrugged, and Kobutso accepted the trade.

"Thank you for your cooperation," The commander said, and walked back to his exhausted guild members.

"I advise you to stop if you're thinking about going to fight the boss," Tadashi called after him. Kobutso stopped, not even bothering to turn and face the person he was speaking to.

"I shall decide that," He said simply.

"We peeked inside the boss room!" Tadashi protested. "It isn't something you can take on with your current strength! All your teammates look exhausted."

"My underlings aren't so weak as to give up over something like this!" Kobutso snarled, and he turned to the other members of his guild. "You lot, stand up already!" The commander's men stood up, groaning in protest. Kobutso growled and started away from us, and started walking past us with his 'underlings' following him.

"I wonder if they'll be alright," Izumi said worriedly. "Those guys...they'll be crazy to go challenge the boss with their current strength..."

"I don't think they'll go to the boss right away," I said.

"Should we follow them and see what happens?" Tadashi asked. I frowned, and glanced at the crowd around me who grinned, nodding. The brunette I was partying with gave a sigh. "I wonder who's this 'kind' person among us..." He said sarcastically, before walking after the Army men. I was about to follow, when Hiroshi stopped me.

"Um...well...Akira-san," He said, sounding quite awkward. "Well um...He lacks manners, speaks without thinking, and he's a war maniac, but I leave Tadashi to you." I smiled, and watched Tadashi's retreating back.

"Yes," I nodded. "Leave it to me!" I smiled, and ran after the group, catching up to Tadashi and Izumi, and walking in between the two.

* * *

><p>We were battling another Lizardman Lord. Tadashi had taken over as defensive while I was following up with quick jabs and slashes. Finally, Izumi delivered a hard blow to the lizard's side, making him hiss and explode into data.<p>

"The only thing ahead is the boss room, right?" She asked, lowering her blade. "Maybe they just gave up and went home." I exchanged a look with Tadashi, and we both nodded silently. There was no way that the Army went home. They were too proud to do that.

A silence fell among us, before somebody screamed in pain.

"Akira!" Tadashi said sharply. I nodded, and we both took off into the dungeon. Izumi called after us, but they were suddenly surrounded by a circle of spawning monsters. Tadashi and I sprinted towards the boss room, and soon the door came in sight. We were nearing it when another scream echoed through our ears.

"Idiots!" I cursed, and we got to the entrance of the boss room, not daring to go any further.

"Oi!" Tadashi yelled. "Are you alright?" We both gasped and saw the army men all scattered throughout the boss room. Gleam Eyes swung his blade, slamming it into the ground, and throwing men everywhere. "What are you doing?!" Tadashi yelled, watching the men hit the ground. "Use your teleport crystals!"

"We can't!" An Army Member said. "We can't use them!" Another flick of the Gleam Eyes' sword sent more players everywhere.

"There were no teleport traps in the boss rooms until now," I breathed. Tadashi seemed lost in thought for a second, before a voice made us look up.

"There is no word called 'retreat' in the Freedom Army's dictionary!" Roared Kobatsu. "Fight! We are going to fight!"

"You idiots!" I said. "What are you thinking?!" Hiroshi ran up to us, confused.

"What's going on?" He asked, before his own question was answered by the scene before him.

"They can't use their teleport crystals!" Tadashi explained, cursing under his breath. "We might be able to form a retreat path for them if we intercepted..."

"Can't we do something?!" Hiroshi asked as I raised my clenched fist up to my chest, watching in horror. I couldn't stand by and do nothing as these people were wiped out. Tadashi seemed to be thinking along the same lines as this,from his clenched jaw.

"Everyone, attack!" Kobutso roared, and his men charged.

"Stop it!" Tadashi yelled. Gleam Eyes roared, and took in a deep breath, blasting a wave of pure destruction towards the Army. While the players were busy defending themselves from Gleam Eyes' attack, the boss raised his sword, activating a sword skill and slamming it into the poor people. Gleam Eyes then turned, slicing Kobastu around the shoulder, and he flew through the air, hitting the ground.

"Hey, hang on!" Tadashi pleaded, running up to him. The helmet covering the commander's eyes broke, and shattered into nothing more than data. Tears filled Kobatsu's eyes, and he tried to blink them away, uttering one final word.

"Impossible..."

His form shuddered, and shattered, killing the poor man. The data shards floated through the air, fading in a few seconds.

"No..." I closed my eyes tightly, almost wishing to be back with Shiro. "It can't be..." Despite my pleads, another scream made my eyes flash open. Gleam Eyes was towering over another army soldier, the sword that had killed Kobatsu hanging at his side. The soldier whimpered as Gleam Eyes raised the weapon, ready to spear the poor guy.

"No..Don't do it..." I whispered, my hands straying towards my rapier. "I can't...I've had enough..." Tadashi turned as Gleam eyes came down with his deadly weapon. I grabbed my sword, pulling it out of it's sheath. "Don't do it!" I yelled, sprinting into the room.

"Akira!" Tadashi yelled after me as I leaped into the air, activating a green sword skill, jabbing my blade into his back several times. The good news, I had turned Gleam Eyes' attention away from the soldier. The bad news, I had turned his attention to me.

Gleam Eyes growled, slamming his arm into me, and slicing at me with his sword. I got slashed across the middle, and I hit the ground, skidding several hundred yards. Cursing, I struggled upwards as the boss prepared to finish me off.

I would have died if it wasn't for Tadashi.

He sprinted forwards, flipping his blade in his hands, and slamming it into Gleam Eyes' own weapon. The sword was impaled inches from me, and I struggled to get up.

"Stay back!" Tadashi ordered, and I shook my head, but Izumi grabbed my arm, and dragged me back. I cursed, and pulled back, desperate to help while the rest of Izumi's guild helped the army men out of the room. Gleam Eyes prepared another attack, and the ball of energy appeared in his mouth again. Tadashi activated a orange sword skill, slashing Gleam Eyes across the back, and cutting into his thick skin.

Gleam Eyes turned, growling at Tadashi, and it suddenly became a dance of swords. Tadashi attacked and Gleam Eyes blocked with his monstrous weapon. He lunged forwards, but the boss managed to cut him across the stomach. Tadashi tried circling behind, but for a boss, Gleam Eyes was quick. He turned, slashing Tadashi across the arm.

Tadashi lunged again, but earned him another cut across his side. Gleam Eyes swung down with the flat side of his blade, and Tadashi raised his own sword, barely blocking the blow. He cursed, watching as Gleam Eyes' mouth filled with blue crackling energy, again.

"Tadashi-kun!" I yelled. Barely shoving the monster's sword aside, Tadashi turned to run from him, but Gleam Eyes, being the boss he was, slammed down, destroying the stones underneath Tadashi's feet. The brunette lunged, flipping through the air, and throwing out his hands as he skidded across the ground. He glanced around and his eyes closed tightly when Gleam Eyes turned his attention back to the army men that hadn't managed to escape, killing several members.

Losing interest in the army men, the boss turned to Tadashi, who stood up, throwing out his sword as Gleam Eyes thrusted his weapon forwards, scraping Tadashi's arm, leg, and side. I took in a deep breath, resisting the urge to aid him.

"Akira! Hiroshi!" Tadashi yelled towards us. "I beg you, please hold out for ten seconds!" He jumped away as Gleam Eyes thrusted at him again.

"G-Got it!" Hiroshi didn't seem sure, but he raced forwards anyway. I followed as Tadashi got into his menu. I lunged, glancing up at my health bar which had hit the yellow zone. Barely dodging a blow from the boss, I jumped up, sprinting across his sword, and activating a blue sword skill. I sliced the skin above the shoulder, until the monster caught on to the fact that I was trying to kill him. He shrugged me off, and I landed in front of him, before he backhanded me so hard, I hit the wall. My HP dropped into the red zone.

"Yes, alright!" Tadashi yelled as I ran to meet Gleam Eyes' blade, hitting it so hard, I threw his arm back. "Switch!" Tadashi ordered and I jumped back as the boss came in for another blow. Yelling, the brunette parried the blade, and a light blue sword appeared strapped to his back. His free hand closed in on it, and pulled it out, slicing across Gleam Eyes' chest.

Attacking with renewed vigor, Tadashi cut open the boss' well-toned chest. Slicing up, then down, Tadashi's eyes narrowed with concentration and Gleam Eyes let out an unearthly shriek. I watched as Tadashi's HP slowly dropped as the monster growled, slicing his shoulder open. Tadashi cursed, and sliced again at the boss's stomach, eager to be done with him. Gleam Eyes roared again, slicing down at Tadashi, who gripped the hilt of the swords, blocking the attack with a grunt.

He stabbed the monster's stomach again and again, his HP becoming dangerously close to zero as Gleam Eyes punched him. Finally, Tadashi had gone so fast, that his blades were a blur and seemed to be in multiple places at once. We almost looked like we were winning, until Gleam Eyes grabbed onto Tadashi's blue sword. I let out a gasp and started forwards as the monster's blade came down towards him. This didn't kill Tadashi's determination. He thrusted forwards, screaming his anger to the heavens. He ducked underneath the blade that had murdered Kobatsu, and sank his other sword deep into the boss's knee.

Then, it was over.

Gleam Eyes met his doom, his form shuddering and then shattering into thousands of little data squares. The 'Congratulations!' sign appeared in front of him, but I didn't feel remotely triumphant. Looking at my health, I was still at red, but Tadashi's was one point away from zero.

Then, the brunette fell backwards, his sword clattering on the stones beneath him, and his eyes closed.

"No!" I yelled, sprinting towards him. Skidding slightly as I dropped to my knees, I shook him, begging him to wake up. "Tadashi-kun! Tadashi-kun!" Tears filled my eyes, until his eyes opened, and blinked once.

"That hurt..." He grumbled, getting up, and clutching his head with one hand. I wiped my eyes, and he looked at me, confused. "How long was I out?" He asked curiously.

"Only for a few seconds," I replied, before lunging forwards, and capturing the brunette in a hug. "You idiot! Doing something so reckless."

"You know, if you hug me this tightly, my HP will really drop to zero," Tadashi said teasingly. I shook my head, letting the tears fall free. He had honestly scared me. I thought he had died. Footsteps came up to us, and Hiroshi spoke.

"Kobatsu and two others died," He reported. Tadashi looked down, and sighed.

"This is the first time we've had casualties since the sixty seventh floor," He muttered.

"I can't call this a conquest," Hiroshi cursed. "Kobatsu, that fool! Nothing's going to change if you just go out there and die. That aside, what what that just now?"

"Do I have to tell you?" Tadashi asked.

"Of course!"

"It was an extra skill," The brunette explained. "Twin-blader." A ripple of shock passed through the crowd, and Tadashi shifted uncomfortably.

"What're the activation conditions?!" Hiroshi demanded.

"If you know them, you can activate it," Tadashi said. I heard a menu open, and Izumi spoke.

"It isn't on the information list..." She reported. "So does that mean this skill is only unique to you...?"

"You are shallow, Tadashi," Hiroshi said, sounding slightly amused. "Not telling others about that type of skill."

"When I opened the skill window, I saw 'Twin-blader' there," Tadashi explained. "But if I am found to have this skill..."

"Net gamers are going to be jealous, that's for sure," Izumi finished. "Since were the only one's here it's fine, but it might cause trouble if it gets out..." Hiroshi chuckled slightly.

"However," He intervened. "Stick to your work, even if there are hardships, youngster!"

"Saying what you like..." Tadashi said softly.

"Are you going through the next world teleportation activation door?" Izumi asked.

"No, I'll leave it to you," Tadashi didn't say it, but most likely part of the reason was because I was refusing to let him go.

"I see," Hiroshi said. "Take care then!" Footsteps receded, before one pair of them stopped abruptly. "And Tadashi...When you flew inside the stage to save those army guys, I...how should I put it...I was very happy. That's all. Then, later!" He started walking again, and a few seconds later, there was the sound of someone walking through the teleport gate.

"Hey Akira," Tadashi said, most likely trying to get me to let him go. I shook my head, and hugged him tighter.

"I was scared..." I admitted. "If you'd died...What I would've done..."

"What're you saying?" Tadashi asked teasingly. "You were the one who jumped in." There was a moment of silence, before I spoke again.

"I won't be in the guild for awhile..." I whispered.

"What are you going to do after leaving the guild?" Tadashi's voice was gentle, but also slightly shocked.

"I did say I was going to form a party with you..." I remembered. "I almost forgot." I heard him take in a sharp breath, and he seemed to be lost in memories for a moment.

"Understood," He said softly, and I nodded. Another moment of silence fell between us as we sat in the empty room.

* * *

><p>October 19th 2024<p>

Floor 50-Algade

My feet pounded on the cobblestones as I ran towards Agil's shop, attracting quite a bit of attention. This was bad...very bad...

I sprinted towards the shop, trying to ignore all the stares and murmurs I was attracting. Finally, reaching the shop, I pulled the door open, and ran inside, vaulting over the back counter, and running into the rear of the store. I arrived at Agil's bedroom, seeing the shopkeeper himself, Lisbeth, and Tadashi.

"What should I do?" I demanded, doubling over and putting my hands on my knees, panting. "Tadashi-kun! This has turned into something really bad!"

* * *

><p>October 19th, 2024<p>

Floor 57-Marten-Blue Lightning Headquarters

"This is the first time I'm meeting you outside of boss conquests, Tadashi-kun."

The head of the Blue Lightning sat behind his desk, his fingers interlaced and a cold smile upon his lips. Tadashi and I stood side by side, waiting for someone to speak.

"No," Tadashi shook his head. "We spoke on floor sixty seven, at the floor conquest meeting, Leader Katsuro."

"That was a hard fight," Katsuro admitted. "We almost had casualties on our side too. Even though we call ourselves a top guild, our battle strength is not that strong. But, you are trying to take one of the top players of my guild for yourself." I glared at him, and was about to take a step forwards, which Tadashi threw out his hand to stop me.

"If so, you should protect her life as well," He said.

"I apologize for what happened with Shiro," Katsuro said. "But we can't just sit back quietly if our vice commander is being taken away from us. If you want to, take her away with your double-sword wielding style. If you beat me, you can take her away. But if you lose, you will join us." There was a moment in which I glanced at Tadashi, who nodded.

"Understood," He said. "If you want to fight with the sword, all the better for me. Let's settle this with a duel."

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUNNN~!<strong>

**I just love these cliffhangers, don't I? xD**

**DON'T SUE ME! *Rips up random papers and runs away***

***Then digs a hole***

***Then burys the hole***

***Then goes on * **

***And tells myself to stop writing this* **


	10. Chapter 10

_Previously on Survival in a Digital Game:_

_"I apologize for what happened with Shiro," Katsuro said. "But we can't just sit back quietly if our vice commander is being taken away from us. If you want to, take her away with your double-sword wielding style. If you beat me, you can take her away. But if you lose, you will join us." There was a moment in which I glanced at Tadashi, who nodded._

_"Understood," He said. "If you want to fight with the sword, all the better for me. Let's settle this with a duel."_

* * *

><p>October 20th, 2024<p>

Floor 75-Collina

"You utter idiot, why did you say that?!" I demanded, standing underneath the ground, the rumblings of thousands of people above me. Tadashi sighed, leaning forwards in the seat he was sitting on. Despite his the calm appearance, I could tell he was a nervous wreck.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" He said, leaning against the bars behind him, and raising his hands in defense. "I just wasn't thinking."

"When I first saw your dual-wielding skill back there, I thought your strength was on a whole other level," I sighed, and turned out towards the empty arena, with people filing into the stadium seats surrounding it. "But, the Commander has a unique skill too."

"I've seen it several times," Tadashi said. "Divine Blade, right? A skill that maximizes both attack and defense power. The attack is strong, but the defense is incredible."

"No one has ever seen his HP bar go into the yellow zone," I admitted, sighing. "It's completely overpowered."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?" I demanded. "If you lose, not only do I not get my leave, but you'll have to join the Blue Lightning!" Tadashi stood up, staring at the wall.

"Well, I don't plan on losing easily," He said, and smirked at me. I sighed as he took out his other sword, and strapped it to his back, and walked out to meet Katsuro in the middle of the stadium.

"I'm sorry, Tadashi-kun," Katsuro said. "I didn't realize that this would be such a big deal."

"I receive a percentage of the fees," Tadashi shrugged.

"No," Katsuro shook his head. "After the fight, you will be a member of the guild. I'll treat this as a mission." He went into his menu, and came up with a duel request. Only after a moment did the duel sign appear. Both men pulled out their blades, and got ready for the clock to strike zero.

When it did, Tadashi took off, his blade sparkling in to bright sunlight. He stroke instantly against Katsuro's shield. The commander smirked, and Tadashi's eyes widened, and he jumped back, barely blocking a sharp jab. They ran forwards to meet each other, sword clashing and the crowds screaming. Katsuro chuckled, and hit Tadashi with his shield, blasting him back.

The commander ran forwards to meet the brunette, and he slashed at the shield with vigour, attempting to wear down it's endurance, I realized. Activating a sword skill, charged forwards, slamming the tip of the blade to it. Katsuro moved aside, and Tadashi shot past him.

"Splendid reaction time," The commander said dryly.

"And that shield of your's is too strong," Tadashi responded, obviously irritated. The crowd's cheering intensified, and the brunette shot off, meeting Katsuro's sword and blocking my commander's own blows. He attacked the shield, before his opponent forced him back, and Tadashi ran back, slicing. I cursed, and wished I could've done something to prevent this.

"Tadashi-kun..." I whispered. Tadashi suddenly came in with a sharp jab, slicing the data off of Katsuro's cheek. He cursed and started attacking like he would do to a boss. Tadashi sliced up, then down, hacking away at Katsuro's shield. He growled, and left himself completely open by slicing at Tadashi's side. Tadashi smirked, and activated a sword skill, coming down on Katsuro's head.

The world seemed to move in slow motion after that.

In a speed that should have been impossible, Katsuro moved his shield, blocking Tadashi's attack. The brunette turned too slow, as his opponent stabbed him in the side, making him hit the ground.

Katsuro had won.

The stadium exploded with cheers, and I sighed, hardly glancing at the victorious commander as he walked past me with a smirk.

* * *

><p>October 22nd, 2024<p>

Floor 50-Algade

I sighed, standing with my hands on my hips. It had been two days since the duel between Tadashi and Katsuro, and the brunette's uniform had finally come in.

It was utterly blue on with silver lining the hems, sleeves, and other random lines sewn about the robe. He wore a silver shirt with light black pants, and blue shoes with silver streaks across them.

"D-Didn't I request something that wasn't so flashy?" Tadashi demanded, looking uncomfortable and moody.

"It's one of the far less flashy ones," I said, crossing my legs on the stool I was sitting on. "It looks great on you." He groaned and collapsed on his bed, covering his eyes with one hand.

"A guild, huh?" He muttered.

"I didn't mean to drag you into this," I immediately felt bad.

"No, it's a good chance," He replied. "I was reaching the limits of what a solo player can do." He sighed, and got up so he was sitting on the bed instead of lying across it.

"That does make me feel better," I admitted. "But..." I trailed off, before deciding to voice something that had been on my mind for awhile. "Hey, Tadashi-kun. Why do you avoid guilds and other people so much? It isn't just because your a beta tester or you have a unique skill right? I mean, I'm a beta tester too and despite that, I landed with a top guild. And even more beyond that, you're a nice person." There was a moment of silence before he looked down at his feet.

"It was a long time ago," He said. "Over a year ago. I did join a guild, just once. The guild was tiny, with only four other members. It's name was the Burning Dust. We got along fine, and we worked well together. But, one day...they went into a crystal nullification area, filled with monsters that were higher level than us. I was the only one who survived. I was the one who killed them. If I had not hidden the fact that I was a beater from them, I could have warned them how dangerous that trap was. All of them...I...I killed them." A moment of silence fell between us, until I stood, and sat next to him on the bed, forcing him to look at me.

"I'm not going to die," I promised him, gently taking hold of his face. "Because I'm the one who will protect you." And with that, I pulled him in for a small hug.

* * *

><p>October 23rd, 2024<p>

Floor 57-Marten-Blue Lightning Headquarters

"Training?" Tadashi repeated, staring at the member of our guild that had come up to us.

"That's right!" The member said cheerfully. "You'll form a party with me and one more, and we'll clear the dungeon here, on the fifty seventh floor."

"Wait a second, Izanagi!" I protested. "Tadashi-kun and I will-"

"Even as the second-in-command, you can't ignore the rules," Izanagi shrugged. "And, if he will be joining us, then as the forward commander, I must evaluate his skills."

"He's far stronger than you!"

"Then, we'll meet at the western gate in thirty minutes!" Izanagi was grinning broadly. He turned, and walked from the room, laughing like he was a child on Christmas. I sighed, hanging my head.

"We finally had the chance to be alone..." I grumbled. I hadn't realized he had gotten up, until he patted my head.

"I'll return soon," He promised. "Wait here."

"Okay..." I didn't like it, but I agreed. "Be careful." He nodded, and left the room. I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

"Hey, imoto-chan!"

I turned, and smiled, seeing Kira and Kichirou running towards me. I stood and waved, glad to at least have some company other than the random members that would come by.

"How'd you get into the base?" I asked. Kira grinned.

"We have our methods."

"Of course..."

We stood, chatting aimlessly for awhile, before I scrolled down my menu, and selected Tadashi from my friend's list, watching as they made their way to the dungeon. I sighed.

"Worried?" Kichirou teased. "Or do you really just have that big of a crush on him?" My face flushed, and I whacked him upside the head.

"Shut up you idiot!"

I glanced down at the people Tadashi was traveling with. Izanagi and Shiro, which was surprising. I hoped they were getting along.

"Now, where's the foot court? I'm starved!" Kira asked. I laughed, and showed them down the hall, and to the right. I went back to the room I was in before, and sat down, watching as they went into the canyon, and stopped, presumably for lunch. I sighed, and leaned back, in the chair, and my stomach twisted into knots when Izanagi's dot disappeared. I froze, and stood. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

I ran out of the guild headquarters, and sprinted down the cobblestone, the way that Tadashi had gone. The whole while I kept an eyes on him, watching as Shiro stood beside him.

Running as fast as I could, I neared the canyon, cursing under my breath as I raced into the canyon. The walls towered above me, and I finally saw Shiro. What else I saw, made my stomach churn.

* * *

><p>Floor 57-Dungeon entrance<p>

Shiro was standing above Tadashi, his sword sunk deep into the brunette's stomach. I closed my eyes tightly, cursing. Drawing my blade, I activated a sword skill blasting Shiro away from Tadashi. He hit the wall, and fell with a thump in the gravel. I breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to Tadashi, whose eyes opened weakly. Taking out a crystal, I raised it.

"Heal!" I ordered, and I watched as the health bar above his head shot back up to full. "I made it..." I whispered, relieved. "I made it in time...God...I made it in time..." Taking a deep breath, I managed to smile. "I was watching you on the map, and then Izanagi disappeared. So I thought something had happened. You're alive...You're alive, right Tadashi-kun?"

"Yeah, I'm alive," He nodded. I nodded, before Shiro's grunts filled my ears. I turned, and spotted him struggling to get up, using the blade that had most likely killed Izanagi for support.

"Just hold on," I said. "This will be over soon." Taking hold of my sword, I unsheathed it, walking towards Shiro, my expression murderous.

"A-Akira-sama," Shiro stammered. "This was just training! That's right...We had a training incident." Glaring at him, I thrusted with my sword, cutting his cheek just as he had done to me. He cursed, and slashed at me sloppily, which I easily dodged. He screamed as I attacked with sharp jabs, slicing his skin. Finally, his sword dropped from his grip, and he held up his hands. "F-Fine, I surrender!" He whimpered, curling into a ball and placing his hands in front of him. "I was wrong! I'll leave the guild! You'll never see me again! So...So..." I raised my sword, the point of the sword pointed downwards, ready to pierce his skin. "I don't want to die!" He screamed, clutching his head. I brought my sword down, and it was inches away from killing him, but I stopped and backed up.

"Not worth it," I grumbled, but Shiro scooped up his sword and disarmed me. It impaled in the ground a little ways away.

"You're pretty gullible, vice commander!" Shiro taunted. He raised the sword, ready to slice me in half, but Tadashi pushed me aside, and blocked the blade, slicing his hand off in the process. His fist started glowing with flames, and he sank his hand deep into Shiro's stomach, killing him. He fell limp on Tadashi's shoulder, and chuckled. "You murderer..." He hissed, before shattering into data. The brunette stumbled and collapsed onto the ground. My lower lip quivered, but I bit it, and walked towards Tadashi, kneeling behind him. I reached out to take his hand, but hesitated, pulling it back as tears started clouding my vision.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered. "This was...This was my fault wasn't it?" I bowed my head, closing my eyes tightly and letting the tears fall free. Tadashi turned to look at me.

"Akira..."

"I'm sorry..." I looked up at him. "I...I shouldn't...I should just stay away...from now on." I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for his response. Instead, he gripped my shoulder, and I gasped, opening my eyes again. He looked at me, before pressing his lips firmly to mine. Instantly, I tensed up, but eventually relaxed into his embrace. He pulled away after a moment, bowing his head.

"My life belongs to you, Akira," He whispered. "So, I will use it for you. Let's stay together until the end."

"And I...I'll protect you too," I agreed. "I'll protect you forever. So..." He raised his head to look at me, the now-familiar smile perched on his face.

"I'll see to it that you can go back to the other world," He promised. "No matter what happens. Akira...Today...Tonight I want to stay with you." My eyes widened, before I nodded.

"Okay."

Before we could stand up, Kira and Kichirou walked out from behind a rock.

"Well it's about TIME!"

* * *

><p>Floor 61-Selmburg<p>

We sat together at the same table we had before this whole thing started. We got Tadashi's hand back somehow, and I felt better about the whole situation. Even after Kira and Kichirou embarrassed us, (I had then discovered that they had been together for quite a long time now) I was feeling content with the world. I set my cup down, and stretched.

"I can't say today hasn't been eventful," I admitted. "But I'm glad we're both still alive." Tadashi nodded.

"Me too."

I stifled a yawn, and he smiled.

"Let's go to bed, okay?"

I wanted to argue, but to be honest I was exhausted. I nodded, and allowed myself to be steered into my bedroom.

I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

* * *

><p>I was woken from a really odd dream by someone poking my cheek.<p>

Under ordinary circumstances, I would have been extremely angry, and yelled at them for waking me up, but I wasn't angry. In fact, I did the complete opposite. I smiled up at Tadashi, who instantly looked bad.

"Sorry...I woke you up, didn't I?" He asked softly.

"I was just dreaming a little..." I admitted. "About my old world...It's strange. In the dream, I wondered if everything here, in Aincrad, and if everything that happened with you was only a dream. I was scared. To be honest, I'm happy it wasn't a dream."

"You're so strange," Tadashi said, smiling. "Don't you want to go back?"

"Of course I do," I sat up. "But, I don't want my time here to disappear. These two years have been very important to me. They seem that way now." A moment of silence fell between us. "Hey, Tadashi-kun. Do you think it would be okay if we left the front lines for a bit?" I asked finally. When he looked confused, I continued. "For some reason, I'm really scared. If I return to the battlefield, it feels like something bad will happen. Maybe I'm just a little tired."

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "I'm tired too." He turned towards the window, and a moment of silence fell. "On the southwest part of Floor twenty two," Tadashi said finally. "There's a small village surrounded by forests and lakes. Let's move there together. And..." He trailed off, biting his lip.

"And?" I repeated. He grimaced for a second, looking at the sheets beneath his hands.

"Let..." He took a deep breath, before looking at me. "Let's get married." My eyes widened, and I smiled, before nodding.

"Yeah!"

* * *

><p><strong>EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!<strong>

***Fangirling scream***


	11. Chapter 11

**BACK AHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA ^_^ **

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><p>October 24, 2024<p>

Floor 57-Marten-Blue Lightning Headquarters

Just as before, we were standing before Katsuro, although under less dire circumstances. Surprisingly, the guild commander listened to us, without the need to call a duel.

"I understand the situation," Katsuro was saying. "I'll explain it to the rest of the guild."

"There's that, and we're also requesting temporary leave from the guild," I crossed my fingers behind my back, biting my lower lip.

"Why is that?"

"I'm currently beginning to question the Blue Lightning," I said. It wasn't a complete lie. I wasn't sure if Katsuro was really paying attention when we gave our report on Shiro, and we didn't need another incident like that.

"Very well," Katsuro nodded. I smiled at Tadashi, who returned it. "However," The guild commander said sharply. "You'll return to the battlefield before long."

"Understood," I nodded, and we were dismissed.

* * *

><p>October 25, 2024<p>

Floor 22

Tadashi and I had managed to get a house by combining our money, and wouldn't you know it, Kira and Kichirou moved in a little ways away. I opened the door with the key, and stepped into the darkened house. Making my way around the rather large log cabin, I managed to find the bedroom. I opened the balcony doors, and smiled, running outside, and resting my hands on the railing.

"Look at that view," I exclaimed, taking in the rolling fields of grass, the waterfalls and the trees surrounding it. A gentle breeze lightly caressed my face, and I smiled, leaning forwards on the railing. Tadashi walked out next to me, grinning despite himself.

"Don't get too close to the edge and fall," He warned, wrapping one arm around my waist.

"We got a nice house," I said, leaning against his side.

"It took all our money though..."

"But here, we can live in peace," I pointed out, moving my hand to cover the one against my side. I turned my head to look at him. His expression was calm, and yet there was a certain anxiousness around him. "Tadashi-kun?" I asked him. "What's wrong?" He took a moment before he responded.

"Hey, Akira," He said. "Does our relationship exist in this world alone?" I glared at him.

"That question makes me angry, Tadashi-kun," I said. "Even if this is just a virtual world, my feelings are real." I smiled, and cupped his cheek with one hand. "There is one thing I've learned here, to keep doing your best. Up until the very end. If we make it back to the real world, I'll find you again. And fall in love with you again." I brought his face down towards mine gently, and our lips met.

* * *

><p>The morning after we had moved in, I woke up earlier than Tadashi, which was no surprise. When he wanted to, the brunette could sleep like a rock. I sighed, staring at the early morning sun filtering through the curtains, and I sighed, glancing up at Tadashi. <em>Normally he's so forward,<em> I admitted mentally. _But sometimes he's surprisingly naive. Like a little kid._ Yawning I stretched again, and stood up, the bed creaking slightly as my weight was lifted from it. The noise made Tadashi's eyes flutter, before opening.

"Good morning Tadashi-kun," I said,sitting next to him in bed.

"M-Morning," He stifled a huge yawn. I smiled, and rolled my eyes.

"Honestly, you're like an old man in the mornings," I chided lightly. "Anyways, where should we go to play today?"

"You know...We played yesterday, the day before, the whole day..." He grumbled and stretched, raising his hands to the ceiling and yawning.

"So, you're saying you don't want to play?" I scowled. He frowned, before shaking his head and smirking.

"I know a place that might be fun."

* * *

><p>As soon as we had eaten breakfast and gotten changed into some suitable clothes that weren't pajamas, we set off. As we walked, Tadashi slid his hand into mine, smiling as he pulled me along.<p>

"So, where are we going?" I asked.

"You'll find out when we get there."

"That's no fun!"

Tadashi chuckled and squeezed my hand, making me blush. We continued for a ways, before we came upon a lake surrounded by fishermen, all hoping for a catch. When they noticed us and lifted their hands in a wave. I waved back, and lightly elbowed Tadashi.

"Go on Tadashi-kun, wave!" I encouraged, and he waved, grinning, sliding his hand into mine.

"Come on," He said, and took off, taking me with him. "We're almost there!" I allowed him to lead me away, and soon we were in the thickest part of the forest.

"What're we doing here?" I asked him curiously, before he flung an arm over my shoulders.

"Yesterday, I heard a rumor in the village," Tadashi explained. "Here, deep in the forest, you can see things."

"What kind of things?"

"Ghosts."

"Ghosts," I repeated, raising an eyebrow. Tadashi smirked, and continued.

"They say that the hatred of the monsters that were hunted here takes form and wanders here nightly," The brunette said, poking my side teasingly. A tree branch snapped in the distance and it made me jump. Tadashi laughed. "And, we're nearly there."

"To the place the rumors mention I'm guessing?" I raised an eyebrow, pulling his hand away from my side.

"About a week ago, a woodcrafter came to find wood," Tadashi said, smirking. "As he focused on gathering, night fell and he caught a glimpse of something white, beneath a nearby tree." He gently poked my side again, and I glared at him, before spotting someone, or something, walking around the trees. "Was it a monster, or something else?" Tadashi continued. "The white shadow walked slowly into a nearby grove of trees, and disappeared." Hardly even listening, I eyed the trees, before the something turned to us. My eyes widened and I realized it was a young girl, before she collapsed.

"Tadashi-kun, come on!" I said, taking his hand, and sprinting towards the forest, towards the girl.

"H-Hey, what are you doing?" He demanded, before I stopped in front of the girl. He gasped, as I knelt down, and lifted her head up.

"A player?" I breathed. "This is pretty strange...there's no cursor."

"Some kind of bug?" Tadashi asked. I shrugged.

"Probably," I nodded. "Why is a little kid playing SAO? Either way, we can't leave her out here. Once she wakes up, we can figure this out. Let's take her back."

"Yeah," Tadashi walked by and dropped down and picked her up bridal-style.

* * *

><p>We had made our way back to the house, lying the girl in bed, and sitting on the one opposite of her. I had just come back from getting my sister, who promised to be over as soon as he could.<p>

"One thing's for sure," Tadashi said. "Since we were able to move her here, she can't be an NPC."

"True," I nodded. "An NPC would have given a harassment warning when you picked her up."

"And she isn't a quest giver, either," Tadashi agreed. "If she were, our quest log would have updated. Which means she's a player. At least, a player is the most likely scenario."

"But what was she doing out there?" I pointed out.

"I don't know what's going on, but maybe she has a parent or a guardian?" The brunette suggested half-heartedly.

"Yeah," I said, reassuring myself more than both of us. "She must have logged in with her family, right? I hope they're safe..." I moment of silence before I sighed, resting my head on Tadashi's shoulder. We enjoyed a moment of silence, before there was knocking at the door.

"That's probably Kira-chan and Kichirou-kun," I sighed, and stood up, opening the door.

"Imoto-chan," Kira breathed, hugging me. "We came as fast as we could. Well, we would've been here sooner if he hadn't fallen asleep..." She glared at Kichirou who held up his hands in defense.

"Hey, you were the one who had us go training back on the seventy fifth floor."

Kira rolled her eyes, and turned back to me.

"What happened? You didn't explain much at all!" She said, sounding out of breath and worried.

"Nothing major," I said, taking ther hand and leading her into the bedroom. "Besides finding a little girl in the forest."

"What?"

I pointed to the girl on the bed as Tadashi stood up, and stood beside me, and I gripped his hand. Kira took in an intake of breath.

"In the forest you say?" Kichirou said. "Say, I've heard a rumor in the town lately-"

"I know," Kira and I groaned together, before laughing.

"You want to stay for dinner?" I offered. "It won't take long for me to make something up." Kira and Kichirou nodded, and I squeezed Tadashi's hand and let go, walking into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>That night, I was unable to sleep, due to the constant jolts in my stomach due to the thoughts that seemed to not let me go. It started off just if we couldn't find her parents, and even escalated as high as if she never woke up. I took in a shaky breath, and turned my head to look at Tadashi, who was fast asleep. I sighed, and closed my eyes, my dreams disturbed by visions of a sleeping girl who never woke up.<p>

I was glad when morning finally came. When I opened my eyes and yawned, stretching. I looked over at the bed next to ours, and saw a big pair of dark blue eyes staring at me. I shot upwards, and froze.

"T-Tadashi-kun!" I said. "Come on, wake up Tadashi-kun!" He groaned in protest before sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Morning..." He grumbled. "Something wrong?"

"Get over here!"

The bed creaked slightly as the brunette stood up, taking in a sharp breath when he saw that the little girl was awake.

"I'm glad you woke up," I said, helping her sit up. "Do you remember what happened to you out there?" She thought for a moment, before shaking her head. "Oh..." I sighed. "What's your name? Can you tell me?"

"N-Name..." She looked thoughtful, frowning as she thought. "My name...Amaya? Amaya. That's my name."

"Amaya-chan, huh?" I said with a friendly smile. "That's a nice name. I'm Akira. This is Tadashi." The brunette in question offered up his own trademark grin that would have made any teacher yell, 'Don't even think about it!' and plop him right down in the front row. Amaya looked confused for a moment.

"Akia...Tadishi..." She repeated. I smiled, despite the fact that he had said both of our names wrong.

"Hey, Amaya-chan," I said. "What were you doing in the forest? Do you have a Mom and Dad somewhere?"

"I don't know..." Amaya shook her head again. "I don't know anything."

"That's awful..." I breathed, and turned away to look out the window. Tadashi rubbed my back soothingly.

"Hello, Amaya-chan," He said finally, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Can I call you Amaya?" When she nodded, he continued. "You can call me Tadashi."

"Tadishi?"

"Tad-ash-i," He said, saying his name syllable by syllable. "Tadashi." Amaya frowned, and nodded, like she understood his name.

"Tadishi," She repeated. He smiled and patted her head lightly.

"I guess it is a little hard," He admitted. "Whatever is easier for you." There was a moment of silence, until Amaya spoke again.

"Daddy," She said.

"M-Me?" Tadashi repeated, shocked.

"Akia is Mommy," Amaya said. My eyes widened, and the little girl looked at me, as if waiting for me to confirm that I was her mother, before I nodded.

"Yeah, that's right!" I smiled. "I'm your Mommy, Amaya-chan!" A smile grew across Amaya's face, and she tackle-hugged me.

"Mommy!" She smiled. "Daddy! Mommy!" I picked her up around the waist and smiled.

"You must be hungry!" I said. "Let's eat!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

><p>Within five minutes, I had managed to make several sandwiches for Tadashi, and was now working on one for Amaya. Reading the newspaper, the brunette picked one up, and took a bite out of it. I smiled, taking up the plate and walking into the dining room.<p>

"Here you go," I smiled, setting the sandwiches down in front of her. "This one's for you Amaya-chan!" I sat across from them as Tadashi grumbled to himself for a second. Something about 'people not knowing how to spend money.' Amaya glanced at him, and he looked at her, before setting the sandwich down, and smirking.

"Amaya, this is really spicy," Tadashi told her, and the little girl thought for a moment, before extending her arms towards her father.

"I want the same one Daddy!" She said.

"I understand," He said, picking up a fresh sandwich, and handing it to the little girl. "If you think you're ready, I won't stop you. Everything in life is an experience!" Amaya smiled, and bit into the sandwich, frowning as she chewed. Then, she swallowed, and managed a small smile.

"It's good..."

"She's got guts!" Tadashi laughed. "Tonight, we'll do a full course of extra-spicy!" Amaya nodded, and I sighed.

"Don't tease her," I scolded. "I'm not cooking that!" Tadashi turned to Amaya, smiling.

"You heard her."

"You heard her?" Amaya repeated, more of a question. They both started laughing. Despite the situation we were in, I allowed a small smile onto my face.

* * *

><p>After the food had been devoured, Amaya fell asleep right where she was sitting. I sighed as Tadashi set down the half-read newspaper.<p>

"What do you think, Tadashi-kun?" I asked.

"She doesn't seem to have any memories," He said. "But more importantly, from the looks of things..."

"It's like she's regressed into a baby," I looked down at the hands in my lap. "I...I just don't know what to do..."

"You want to take care of her until she regains her memory, right?" Tadashi asked me.

"Yeah, but..."

"It's a tough problem..." Tadashi admitted. "If we don't get back to the Front Lines, it'll take that much longer for Amaya to get out."

"Yeah..."

"Let's do what we can for now," Tadashi said. "Judging by her gear, I can't imagine she's been farming monsters every day." I nodded.

"Let's check the Town of Beginnings," I said. "For any parents of siblings she might have."

"Right," Tadashi nodded. "I don't want to say goodbye to her either." He stood up, and leaned across the table and gently covered my hand with his own.

"Tadashi-kun?" I said. "I don't know how to express it. It hasn't been long, but having her here is making this feel like a real home. It just...feels that way. And besides. It's not like we're never going to see her again, and if she has a family or guardian, they're probably worried right now."

"Yeah," Tadashi straightened up, and I followed his lead. "When she wakes up, let's take her to the Town of Beginnings. Get ready and equip your stuff if you have to. That place is army territory."

"We should be careful," I said, folding my arms. I relaxed and smiled as I heard Amaya speak.

"Mommy...Daddy..." She whispered.

* * *

><p>October 31st, 2024<p>

Floor 1-The Town of Beginnings

The blue portal opened up, revealing the Town of Beginnings to us. Last I was standing in this town square, I was standing with Izumi, trying not to freak out.

"I haven't been here in ages," Tadashi voiced my thoughts.

"Me neither," I agreed, watching Amaya carefully for any signs of recognition. There were none. I sighed, remembering how those warning panels spewed out that horrible blood-like substance and Kayaba telling us there was no way to revive someone within the game. I turned away from the spot where the first panel had appeared, and looked back a Amaya who was being given a piggy-back-ride by Tadashi. "Amaya-chan, do you remember any of these buildings?" There was a moment of silence as the little girl looked around, before shaking her head.

"I don't know."

"Well, the town of beginnings is really big," Tadashi said. "Let's start at the central market." We started walking, and soon arrived at the market, which was eerily empty. NPCs stood faithfully at their posts, waiting to sell weapons that would never be sold.

"Hey, Tadashi-kun," I said. "How many players are here currently?"

"Hm...I wonder..." He said thoughtfully. "About six thousand players are still alive in SAO. Including the Army, about thirty percent are here, in the Town of Beginnings. Maybe a little fewer than two thousand?"

"Then isn't the place a little empty?"

"You're right..."

We stopped for a moment, taking a small break, until somebody yelled.

"Give back the children!"

"Hey, it's the day-care woman," Another voice said tauntingly.

"We've been waiting for you!" A third said. We cursed, and ran towards the sound of the argument.

"Give back the children!" The first voice repeated.

"You make it sound like we're doing something bad," The second sneered. "We're just teaching them how things work around here. This is an important part of the Army's mission."

"That's right," The third said. "The citizenry have a duty to pay taxes." They started laughing and I ran faster.

"Gin! Kain! Mina!" The first voice called to others. "Are you over there?"

"Sasha-sensei!"

"Save us Sasha-sensei!"

"Forget the money!" The voice called Sasha said. "Give it all to them!"

"Sensei, that's not enough!"

"You guys owe a lot of back taxes," The second voice said. "So you need to leave your equipment, along with your armor. Everything."

"Get..." Sasha growled. "Get out of the way! Or..." We finally turned the corner, finding the source of the commotion. We vaulted over the Army member's heads, and landed lightly on the other side. I walked up to three children, who must have been Gin, Kain, and Mina.

"It's okay now," I promised. "Put your equipment back on."

"What?" One of the Army members growled. "Who the heck are you guys?!"

"Are you going to interfere with the army's mission?" Another demanded.

"Well, wait a second," The leader of that particular group strode up to us. "I don't know who you are, but do you know what it means to defy the Liberation Army, right?" He drew his blade and the children screamed in fear. I rolled my eyes, and gripped my rapier.

"Tadashi-kun," I said. "Take care of Amaya-chan." I walked past him and glared at the army men, and drew the blade. The commander chuckled as I walked up to him. I was several feet shorter than him, but at the moment I didn't care. These people were threatening innocent children, and that was unforgivable.

Activating a blue sword skill, I struck him directly in the face, knocking the commander off of his feet, and made him skid a yard or two. He attempted to get up, but I stood over him, activating another skill. Releasing it, I forced the commander to tumble of himself and finally come to a rest at the feet of his comrades. I walked up to him, and let my sword hang loosely at my side.

"Don't worry," I said, deadly serious. "In a safe zone, your HP won't decrease, no matter what. There's just a mild knock-back effect. But even still, safe zone fights are terrifying experiences." I gripped my sword tightly, and the commander scrambled back away from me. He didn't get far, before I forced him forwards with another sharp jab.

"D-Don't just stand there!" The commander roared to his comrades. "Do something!" They growled and got ready to attack, but I sliced downwards with my sword, making them lose confidence. They slowly backed away, until they were all running down the alleyway streets, screaming in terror. Sheathing my blade, I released a sigh. I hated being rough with other players, but sometimes it was for their own good. Turning around, I was met by the awestruck faces of Gin, Kain, and Mina.

"Wow..." Kain whispered. "That was amazing, miss!" They ran to crowd me, and I blinked, taking a slight step back.

"I've never seen that before!" Gin said.

"Yeah!" Mina agreed. "You were so cool!"

"Thank you!" Sasha went up to me, smiling. I allowed my own smile to creep onto my face as I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. I glanced up as Amaya started reaching up to the sky.

"Everyone..." She whispered. "Everyone's hearts..."

"Amaya!" Tadashi said sharply, and fear closed in on my heart.

"Amaya-chan!" I called to her.

"Everyone's hearts!" Amaya kept repeated.

"Amaya!" Tadashi said, now sounding very urgent. "What's wrong? Amaya!"

"Amaya-chan," I said, walking up to her. "Did you remember something?"

"I...I..." She lowered her hand, and stared at me. "I wasn't here...I was always alone...in the dark..."

It happened in a blur of a second.

Static sounded, like something was going on with our NerveGears in the real world. Amaya screamed, falling backwards. I took in a sharp breath as I noticed my form was flickering, like a bad TV reception. Amaya dropped from Tadashi's grip and I sprinted forwards, catching her before her head could hit the hard asphalt. The little girl was quivering in my arms and she whimpered.

"Mommy..." She whispered, grabbing a fistful of my shirt in her hands. "I'm scared Mommy."

"What was that just now?" Tadashi asked as I straightened up and the little girl passed out in my arms.

"Amaya-chan..." I whispered, and with that, I hit the ground, my vision going black.

* * *

><p><strong>These chapters...must they get shorter and longer? xD<strong>

**ANYWHO...Blah blah blah, I have no idea what to say...O_o**


	12. Chapter 12

**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! **

* * *

><p>I slowly got up, rubbing my head. Tadashi breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that I was awake, and hopefully alright.<p>

"Are you trying to scare me half to death?" He demanded, pulling me into his arms. "If so, you accomplished that."

"Sorry..." I whispered. "I didn't mean to...Is Amaya-chan alright?" He nodded, and pointed to the little girl who was sitting with Gin, Kain, and Mina.

"What was that just now?" Tadashi demanded. "You scared not only me, but everyone else too."

"I think it was the wave that Amaya-chan set off," I said. "Something happened, and I passed out." Tadashi nodded, before finally releasing me.

* * *

><p>November 1, 2024<p>

Floor 1-The Town of Beginnings

Around fifty kids sat on long wooden benches, ravenously eating lunch like they hadn't eaten in months.

"This is..." Tadashi said. "Amazing."

"Yeah," I nodded, and turned my attention to Amaya, who was eating in the same manner as the children.

"It's like this every day," Sasha explained to us. "Is Amaya-chan okay?"

"She got a good night's sleep, and as you can see, it's helped," Tadashi explained.

"Has this ever happened before?"

"We don't know," I admitted. "When we found her, she was wandering in the forest on the twenty second floor. It seems that she's lost her memories."

"Oh my," Sasha frowned.

"So, we came to the Town of Beginnings," I continued, before Amaya offered me a roll. I took it, smiling, remembering the time Tadashi had sat next to me in the next town over, and showed me that life wasn't all that bad in this world. "We thought someone here might know about her," I continued, running my fingers through Amaya's black hair.

"Any ideas?" Tadashi asked. Sasha frowned, before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think she's one of the kids from the Town of Beginnings," The daycare lady said sadly, looking out towards the chattering children. "When the game started, most of the children suffered terrible psychological trauma. I wanted to do something, so I took them in at this church. Every day I walk around the town to see if anyone needs my help, but I've never seen anyone like her." I nodded, slightly disappointed.

"Oh," I sighed. We were about to continue our conversation, when somebody knocked at the church doors. I stood, followed by Sasha, Amaya, and Tadashi. Sasha opened the door and standing before us, was a women.

"Hello," She bowed. "I am Yuiler."

"Aren't you with the army?" I said, placing a hand on Amaya's shoulder. The little girl had latched onto Tadashi's arm, looping her own small hands through his bicep, and hugging it. "Are you here to complain about yesterday?"

"Not at all," Yuiler shook her head. "It's the reverse. Honestly, I wanted to thank you. I've come with a request for you two today." She directed the comment to Tadashi and I, who exchanged a look.

"A request?" I repeated. Yuiler nodded, and we allowed her into the church, sitting down at a table.

"We..." Yuiler seemed to be forcing the words to come out of her mouth. "No, the guild leader, Thinker, never wanted it to become a dictatorial organization, like it's become. We wanted to share information and food evenly among as many players as possible."

"But the Army became too large," Tadashi guessed. "And you were unable to keep it that way anymore."

"Yes," Yuiler nodded. "There were multiple internal power struggles, and a man named Kibaou ended up with a great deal of power." I nodded, knowing the man she was talking about. Kibaou was Diabel's best friend, before Diabel was revealed as a beta tester and died trying to defeat the first floor boss. On top of that, I remembered that Kibaou had a thing against beta testers for some reason. "Kibaou and his faction have grown strong," Yuiler continued. "Monopolizing all the best monster spawn points and even have started extorting people for taxes.

"But, many people were upset with his lack of interest in clearing the game," Yuiler sighed as Amaya attempted not to fall asleep, as she reached for her glass of milk. "So, he sent the highest level players available to the Front Lines."

"Kobatsu-san," I said, remembering the army commander who had died in the battle against Gleam Eyes.

"After that massacre, Kibaou has taken a lot of heat, and we're close to dismissing him from the guild," Yuiler nodded. "But he's scared and desperate, so he set a trap for Thinker." There was a moment of silence as the Army member looked down at the wooden table underneath her hands, before speaking. "Thinker's been stranded, deep in a dungeon!"

"Does he have a teleport crystal?" Tadashi demanded. Yuiler shook her head.

"Unarmed?" I added. To my horror, she nodded.

"He was too trusting," Yuiler said bitterly. "He believed Kibaou when he said he wanted to talk, unarmed. That was three days ago."

"Three days?" I repeated. "What's happened to him?"

"It's a very high-level dungeon," Yuiler bowed her head. "He's trapped there. As his second-in command, this is my responsibility, but my level isn't high enough to reach him. And Kibaou has been using his influence to prevent the rest of the Army from helping. And then I heard that two incredibly high-powered players had come here. And so, I'm asking for your help. Tadashi-san. Akira-san. Would you please come and save Thinker with me?" I looked at the brunette over Amaya's head as she almost fell asleep over her half-drank milk cup.

"I'd like to help, if we're able," I said. "But, we have to verify that you are telling the truth." Tadashi nodded in agreement, and Yuiler stood up, bowing low.

"I know that I'm asking for a lot," She said, closing her eyes tightly, and tiny tear buds sprouting in the corners of her eyes. "But when I think of him trapped in there, I feel like I'm losing my mind." I frowned, looking down at the cup filled with tea in front of me.

"It's okay, Mommy," Amaya said suddenly. "She's telling the truth."

"A-Amaya-chan, you can tell?" I demanded, frowning.

"Yeah," She nodded like it was the greatest thing in the world. "I can't explain why...But I know." There was a moment of silence, until Tadashi laughed.

"I'd rather trust and regret then doubt at regret," He said, grinning. "Let's go. It'll work out. Right?" He directed another smile at me, and I nodded.

"You're always so laid-back," I told him, turning to Yuiler. "We'll do what we can."

"Thank you," Yuiler said, bowing again.

"I know how it feels to want to save someone you care for," I said, shooting a glance at Tadashi. Yuiler nodded, wiping her eyes. Tadashi rubbed Amaya's head softly.

"Stay here, okay?" He said.

"No, I'm coming too!" The little girl protested.

"Amaya-chan, stay here with me, okay?" Sasha said.

"No!" Amaya shook her head.

"So, she's in a rebellious stage, huh?" Tadashi said.

"Don't be silly!" I chided him. "Amaya-chan, the place we're going is really dangerous." Amaya got up, and hugged Tadashi's arm, refusing to let him go.

"I'm going too!"

* * *

><p>Floor 1-Town of Beginnings-Iron Castle<p>

We had allowed Amaya to come with us, at least until we had found Thinker. Tadashi and I had gotten into our battle gear before we left, so I was back in my Blue Lightning outfit. We were walking on the first floor of the dungeon, our footsteps like gunshots in the eerie silence.

"I had no idea there was a dungeon like this below the Town of Beginnings," I admitted as we walked, Amaya smiling as she rode on her father's head. "This wasn't here during the beta test. This is unexpected..."

"It probably opens further, as the floors above are cleared," Yuiler said. "Kibaou planned to keep it for himself."

"Exclusive access to spawns can be quite useful," Tadashi shrugged.

"But the monsters that spawn here have levels around the 60's," Yuiler explained. "So he wasn't able to do much hunting." We continued walking until we reached a stairway, leading down into the darkness. "This is the entrance," Yuiler said. Amaya gasped, and jumped down from Tadashi's shoulders and took my hand. I smiled at her.

"I'm not scared!" She said, as if she was reading my thoughts.

"It's okay," I said, turning to Yuiler. "She's much tougher than she looks."

"Yeah," Tadashi folded his arms and nodded. "I'm sure she'll be a fine swordsman someday!" Amaya nodded, and I started laughing. The brunette soon joined in, kissing my cheek gently.

"Let's go then," Yuiler said. After we had descended the seemingly endless stairs, we finally came across our first monsters. I recognized them as Scavenger Toads, which Tadashi took care of easily.

As he battled the toads, Amaya was positively excited by the fact that her father was beating toads to death. Then again, I couldn't blame her. It was kind of entertaining.

"I'm sorry for not helping," Whispered Yuiler finally.

"No, this is his kind of thing," I told her. "Just let him be. Anyways, we're pretty far down. Are we almost there?" Yuiler nodded, and pointed to a spot on the map she had brought up.

"Thinker hasn't moved from here," Yuiler reported. "I think he's in a safe spot. If we can reach it, we can use a teleport crystal." Tadashi finally sheathed his two blades, laughing.

"Good fight!" He said cheerfully.

"Sorry about that..." Yuiler apologized.

"No, I enjoyed it!" Tadashi said. "And they dropped stuff."

"Anything good?" I asked. Tadashi nodded, and took down his menu, coming out with a meaty leg. I recoiled, disgusted. "Wh-What is that?" I demanded.

"Scavenged toad meat."

"Those frogs?"

"They say the stranger it is, the better it tastes! Cook it up later," Tadashi thrust the toad meat towards me, and I took a step back.

"No way!" I yelled, grabbing the leg, and throwing it as far as I could away from me.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Tadashi demanded, and I put my hands on my hips as Tadashi cursed, and went into his menu, bringing out an armful of the scavenged toad meat. "How about these?!"

"No!" I yelled, throwing meat everywhere. "No, no, no, no, no!"

"Akira, it's good meat!"

"Get rid of it!"

"But it's delicious!"

We continued arguing back and forth for a good five minutes, until Amaya's voice made us look up, me halfway jamming a piece of meat into Tadashi's mouth to get him to shut up.

"You smiled!" Amaya was saying to Yuiler. "It's the first time you've smiled!" Yuiler looked stunned for a moment, before a grin spread over her face. I smiled, releasing Tadashi, and sliding my hand into Amaya's.

"Let's go," I encouraged. We continued walking for awhile, playing with Amaya, and slowly by surely making our way down to Thinker. Eventually, I was carrying the little girl while Tadashi poked her cheek lightly. I glared reproachfully at him, and he grinned. Finally, we reached our destination, indicated by the large doorway flooded with light.

"That's the safe zone!" I said, and Amaya woke up, yawning.

"There's one player inside," Tadashi reported, activating his seeing skill. Yuiler gasped, and ran towards the safe zone.

"Thinker!"

"W-Wait!" Tadashi called after her. I glanced at him, and we chased after her.

"Yuiler!" Somebody screamed, which was most likely Thinker.

"Thinker!" Yuiler called back.

"Stay back!" Thinker ordered, sounding distressed. "That corridor is-" He never finished his sentence, as a player indicator appeared reading, 'The Fatal Scythe.'

"Stop!" I yelled after Yuiler. "Yuiler-san, come back!" I had barely screamed for her as I stopped to protect Amaya, and Tadashi sped up. A scythe appeared out of nowhere, and Tadashi tackled Yuiler, and threw out his sword, preventing the sword from impaling them. I caught a glimpse of a ragged cloak, and I ran up to the Army member.

"Yuiler-san!" I said as Tadashi took after the cloak. "Retreat to the safe area with Amaya-chan." I slid the little girl off my back, and handed her to Yuiler.

"Okay," Yuiler nodded. She stood to pick up Amaya, who looked at me.

"Mommy," She protested.

"Let's go," Yuiler said, taking Amaya by the shoulders, and steering her towards the safe zone with Thinker. Taking out my sword, I glanced back at the three now in the safe zone. I gave Amaya a reassuring smile, before taking off to join Tadashi.

It was then that I saw the Fatal Scythe.

It was nearly as tall as the corridor's high vaulted ceilings, and was draped in a ragged and ripped cloak. It's face was a skull, grinning down at us from high above. In it's hand was a scythe, longer then it's body. It's hands were skeletal like and the monster released a groaning growl from deep within it's vocal cords.

"Akira," Tadashi spoke softly, but sharply. "Use a teleport crystal to get Amaya and the others out of here." He narrowed his eye as he watched the Fatal Scythe raise it's weapon. "Even my identification skill isn't working," He grumbled. "It's probably as strong as something from the ninetieth floor. I'll buy time, so run!" My eyes widened, and I shook my head.

"Y-You come with me!" I said, attempting to mask the fear in my voice.

"I'll catch up!" He said. "Hurry!" I froze, and looked again at Amaya, Yuiler, and Thinker, all watching from within the safe zone.

"Mommy..." Amaya said softly. I smiled reassuringly at her, before calling to Yuiler and Thinker.

"Take care of Amaya-chan!" I called to them. "You three should run!" Tadashi turned to look at me.

"Akira!" He protested.

"I can't-" Yuiler started.

"Hurry!"

Finally, they nodded as the monster approached Tadashi. I ran up next to him, and he didn't object as the Fatal Scythe swung down towards us. The brunette raised his blades in an X, and I backed up behind him, wrapping one arm around his waist, and placing my own blade before his.

The impact was more than we bargained for.

We were thrown so far that we hit the ceiling, and fell to the ground. Glancing up at my HP bar, I spotted Tadashi's slowly falling from green, and my eyes widened, seeing that I was already in the yellow zone.

I attempted to get up, but failed miserably as my limbs gave way underneath me. The Fatal Scythe advanced upon Tadashi, who was barely waking up from being knocked viciously unconscious.

"Tadashi-kun!" I yelled towards him. I tried getting up again, but Yuiler and Thinker's voices made me freeze.

"Amaya-chan, no!"

"It's dangerous! Come back!"

The little girl walked up towards the monster, and it seemed surprised that such a small girl had come to challenge him. Tadashi struggled towards, panicked.

"Don't be stupid!" He yelled to Amaya. "Get out of here!"

"Amaya-chan!" I pleaded, trying to do the same, but the Fatal Scythe had forced a temporary paralysis. I couldn't move. The monster raised it's weapon, ready to skewer Amaya in half.

"It's okay, Mommy, Daddy," Amaya said softly, before the Fatal Scythe swung down towards her. I closed my eyes tightly.

"Amaya-chan!"

The scythe never came in contact with the little girl.

The weapon bounced off harmlessly on a shield that certainly hadn't been there before. Appearing above her was a sign that mostly appeared on walls and inanimate objects.

'Immortal Object.'

"Immortal Object?" I repeated. Amaya was raised off of the ground, and she extended her arm, and tendrils of flames wrapped around her body, before coming into the shape of a sword.

Expressionless, Amaya raised the blade, poising it directly diagonal from the Fatal Scythe's body. Dropping it down, she shot forwards at the speed of a bullet, raising the flaming blade above her head, and bringing it down on the monster's head. The Fatal Scythe used it's weapon to block her attack, but failed as Amaya's sword snapped the monster's scythe in half.

The blade was brought down on The Fatal Scythe's head, slicing through the hood and the skull, surrounding the demon in a fiery cocoon. The monster released an unearthly howl, and shattered into data.

The room went dark. The paralysis faded.

I slowly got up onto my feet, and stumbled towards Tadashi, holding my arm which felt like it had been broke into a thousand pieces. The brunette got up soon after.

"Amaya-chan?" I called towards the little girl.

"Amaya..." Tadashi chimed in.

"Daddy...Mommy..." Amaya said softly, turning to face us. "I remember everything." She walked towards us, and took our hands, leading us into the safe zone. Once in there, the little girl sat down on the large stone table-like structure that was sitting inside.

"Amaya-chan," I said finally. "You regained your memories?"

"Yes," Amaya nodded, and looked up at us. "Tadashi-san. Akira-san." I took in a sharp breath, not used to her pronouncing our names correctly. "This world, Sword Art Online, is controlled by a single, immense system. The system is called Cardinal. This system was designed to operate without any human intervention. It regulates the balance of SAO, according to it's own discretion. From monsters and NPCs, to drop rates with for items and money.

"Everything is controlled by the processes the Cardinal program executes," Amaya continued, surprisingly calm. "Even player psychological care." Amaya bowed her head, before looking up at us. "Mental health counselling program, prototype one. Code name: Amaya. That's me." I gasped, and shock filled every fiber in my body.

"A program?" I said, understanding exactly what Amaya meant. "An AI?" Amaya nodded.

"I was given the ability to emulate emotion, to put players at ease with me," She continued. "I'm a fake. All of me." A single tear ran down her cheek, and dropped onto her fists. "Even these tears are fake. I'm sorry Akira-san..."

"Amaya-chan..." I whispered, reaching out to hug her, but she flinched away. I pulled back. "But you had amnesia...Can that happen to an AI?"

"Two years ago, on the day of the launch...For reasons I never understood, Cardinal forbade me from interacting with any of the players," Amaya explained. "I was forced to do nothing but continue to monitor the players' mental states. It was horrible.

"Terror, despair, rage. People were overcome by negative feelings," Amaya still had tears in her eyes, but she held them back, for our sake. "Some of them went completely insane. Normally, I would have gone to them immediately. But I wasn't permitted any contact with them. Gradually, errors began within me, and I fell apart. But, one day, I saw two players whose mental parameters were very different from the rest. Joy, peace...But it was more than that. I wandered through the field, hoping to get as close to you as I could."

"So that's why you were wandering the twenty second floor's forest," I realized.

"Yes," Amaya nodded, now letting her tears fall free. "Tadashi-san...Akira-san...I've always wanted to meet you. It's strange, isn't it? It should be impossible for me to think that. I'm only a program..." I shook my head, and clasped my hands together.

"Amaya-chan," I said. "You have true intelligence, don't you?" Amaya shook her head.

"I don't know," She admitted. "I don't know what's happened to me." A moment of silence fell, before Tadashi walked forwards, and squatted down slightly, behind his knees and putting both hands on his kneecaps.

"You aren't just a program that the system controls anymore," He said. "So, you should be able to say what you want. What do you want?" Amaya bit her lip, and took in a shaky breath.

"I..." She reached out towards us. "I...I want to stay with you forever...Daddy, Mommy!" I bit back the lump in my throat, and ran towards Amaya, wrapping my arms around her in a hug.

"Together...We'll be together forever Amaya-chan," I promised, and Tadashi joined in on the hug.

"Yeah," He agreed. "You're our child." A moment of silence fell between us, until I felt a tear drip onto my shoulder.

"It's too late," Amaya whispered, and I pulled away slightly to look at her.

"Too late?" Tadashi repeated. Amaya nodded, and patted the stone she was sitting on, tears still brimming in the corners of her eyes.

"This console grants the GMs emergency access to the system," She explained, and lines spread across it, creating a keypad. "I used it to delete that monster. But now, it's running a check on my program. Since I disobeyed Cardinal's orders, it considers me a foreign object. I'll be deleted soon." I released Amaya, shocked.

"No..." I shook my head. "No..."

"Can't we do something?" Tadashi demanded. Amaya was silent, before she looked up at us, trying to smile.

"Daddy...Mommy...thank you," She said. "This is goodbye." I felt hot tears brimming in my eyes, and my vision was clouded. I closed my eyes, hugging Amaya tightly.

"No!" I sobbed. "I don't want that! We've just started...We've just started living together..." The tears ran down my cheeks, as Amaya started to glow.

"Amaya!" Tadashi said. "Don't go!" He ran forwards, pressing his hands to hers, holding her firmly onto the table.

"Everyone smiles when they're with you," Amaya said softly. "Please...From now on, go and help people in my place. Share your happiness with them." I shook my head, hugging the girl tighter. With each word she spoke, she became less visible. Cardinal was deleting her.

"No...No!" I said firmly, my voice shaking. "I can't smile without you!" Amaya's hand moved up to cup my cheek, wiping a tear away in the process.

"Smile, Mommy," She pleaded. When I opened my eyes again, I found I was clinging onto air. Amaya's hand was still hovering in mid air, on my cheek. A few seconds later, her hand had vanished too, leaving Tadashi and I alone in the safe zone.

Taking a few steps back, I collapsed onto my knees, and broke down completely, the tears dripping onto the ground in small clumps. I barely heard Tadashi's voice above my sobs as I doubled over, trying to stop the flow of tears.

"Cardinal!" Tadashi roared. "No, Kayaba! Don't think things will always go the way you want them to!" Finally swallowing the lump in my throat, I straightened up, so I wasn't doubled over on the ground.

"Tadashi-kun what are you-"

"I can probably use this GM account to access the system," Tadashi said. A screen appeared in front of him, and he still was typing without even looking down at the keypad. A loading screen appeared, and as soon as it was loaded, he was blasted back, and hid the ground with a painful-sounding thud.

"Tadashi-kun!" I stood up, walking over to the boy. "Are you okay?" Wordlessly, he extended his hand towards me, and dropped something into my palm. I was staring at a crystal-like shard that was shaped almost exactly like a teardrop. "What's this?" I asked as Tadashi straightened up, rubbing his head.

"Before Amaya's admin credentials were denied-" He started.

"You split off her program and turned it into a game object," I completed for him, and he nodded. "Then this is..." I tapped the teardrop, and my eye's widened as I read.

'Amaya's Heart.'

* * *

><p>We teleported out of the dungeon, and left for home immediately. We got a rather enthusiastic farewell from Gin, Gain, Mina, Sasha, Yuiler, and Thinker, and we turned, and teleported back to Floor twenty two.<p>

* * *

><p>Floor 22-Coral<p>

As we appeared on Floor twenty two's teleport gate, Tadashi and I headed home, silent. I was still processing that I had Amaya's heart in my storage, and I was sure the brunette didn't want to bother me, being the sweet idiot that he was.

I wasn't upset anymore, just still shocked. As we walked, I finally stopped, letting the breeze run through my hair, and blow it back in the wind. _I'll see you again, Amaya-chan,_ I promised mentally. _I won't forget about you, no matter what happens. I promise._

"Hey, Akira!" Tadashi called to me. I smiled, and jogged up to meet him, sliding my hand into his. And despite today's events, I thought I heard Amaya's voice in the wind.

"Mommy...good luck.

* * *

><p><strong>OK. Two more chapters and we're back to Kira! PROMISE. <strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**BACK! ^_^ I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER I JUST CAN'T CONTAIN IT! *SQUEEEE* **

* * *

><p>November 5th, 2024<p>

Floor 22-Log Cabin

Sighing, I closed the door behind Tadashi, and turned to the mess still left over from lunch. The brunette had gone out fishing, and should be back for dinner, and I still had a lot of work to do. I picked up the plates, placing them in the sink, and they were automatically washed clean. Just like cooking.

I didn't have much to do, if you wanted to count opening all the windows. I sighed, collapsing on the couch, before somebody knocked at the door. Opening, it revealed Kira, who looked bored out of her skull.

"Nii-chan?" I said, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"Kichirou-kun left to fish," Kira shrug.

"Tadashi-kun did the same."

"You think they're fishing at the same lake?"

"Probably."

We both laughed, and I invited her inside. Kira sat down on the sofa, and I sat next to her. My older sister glanced up at me, before speaking.

"How have things been here, since...well...Amaya-chan," She asked. Usually when she brought this up (As she had been here several times after Amaya's death) I flinched away. This time, I was ready.

"It's been quieter..." I admitted. "It's kind of sad and lonely now. It's alright though, I mean it's not so bad. We have each other, and I guess that's sort of an upside." Kira smiled, and nodded.

"Kichirou-kun and I were noticing that you and Tadashi-kun were spending more and more time together," She poked my ribcage. "It was how we started out, after we met again in Lis's place. Tadashi-kun ever start using that sword?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "He used it in a fight that-" I stopped myself before I could say anything else. If I told her about the Gleam Eyes battle, she would only worry that I couldn't take care of myself.

"Imoto-chan," Kira said sharply. "What happened? What are you not telling me? Does this have something to do with that double-wielding sword skill Tadashi-kun used in his duel against Katsuro? Or does it have something to do with how the seventy fourth floor boss was mysteriously defeated?" I bit my lip, and looked down at my hand.

"A little of both, actually," I admitted. "Tadashi-kun, Izumi-chan, Hiroshi-kun, and I all fought the seventy fourth floor boss, trying to save the Army members that had tried to defeat them themselves."

"So the double blading wielding swordsman was..."

"Yeah. Tadashi-kun. We both nearly died."

"How close?" Kira asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"How low were your HP bars?"

"Both were at red...Tadashi-kun was one point away from zero..." I shuffled my feet uncomfortably, and Kira took hold of my shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"Because I knew you'd just fuss over me!"

Kira sighed, and we sat in an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Sorry," Kira said finally. "I do fuss over you a lot...especially here when it's so easy to die."

"I know, nii-chan," I said, taking her hand. "But we're both front liners and Tadashi-kun and I will do everything we can to protect each other. And I'm sure you'll never let me die yourself."

"I'd rather die than see you die," Kira said, before blinking and bursting out laughing. "That was a really bad sentence!"

"No, it was good!"

"Grammar is your thing, Imoto-chan! You should have caught me!" Kira protested, and my palm collided with my forehead. Glancing out the window, I saw Tadashi returning, walking with Kichirou, and a man I didn't know.

"Tadashi-kun and Kichirou-kun have brought a friend," I said sarcastically. Kira sighed, looking through the window.

"I should probably get home then," She scowled, and stood. "Otherwise Kichirou-kun is going to have a heart attack."

"Really?"

"Kid you not."

I laughed, and hugged my sister, before she left the house, running after Kichirou, and tackling him to the ground. Tadashi laughed, and opened the door, leading the man inside, and kicking the door closed behind him.

"Back so soon, Tadashi-kun?" I walked up to him, and smiled. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Jeffrey," Tadashi explained. "He helped me catch a fish!"

"You mean I caught the fish."

"Oh, right."

Tadashi laughed, and Jeffrey rolled his eyes, going through his menu and plopping a fish into my hands. I recoiled, my stomach churning.

"Make it up for us?" Tadashi pleaded. I sighed, and nodded.

"Fine..."

* * *

><p>"That was wonderful!"<p>

We sat around the dining table, the remains of dinner scattered about the wooden table. The sun was setting outside, casting an unearthly glow around us as Jeffery raised his cup.

"I had no idea you could get soy sauce in this world," The man admitted, grinning. I laughed.

"It's homemade. Take some with you, if you'd like," I offered.

"Really?" Jeffery cheered. "That's so kind of you."

"You're fishing skill must be very high," I said, eying Tadashi as he drank his tea in silence. "Tadashi-kun's never brought anything home." Jeffery chuckled.

"The lakes around here are too hard!" Tadashi protested.

"No," Jeffery shook his head. "That isn't really true. The only difficult one is the big lake that you were fishing at with that other boy." I tried to hide my laugh, but failed as Tadashi choked.

"Why design it like that?!" The brunette demanded.

"Yes, that is an excellent question!" Jeffery said, pointing at Tadashi, his eyes gleaming with delight. "That lake contains..." The man's eyes flashed. "An enormous fish!"

"An enormous fish?" Tadashi and I repeated.

"Yeah," Jeffery nodded. "I've encountered it several times. "But it's so huge, it dragged my pole away altogether. And so, I'd like to make you an offer."

* * *

><p>The offer had been made, and Jeffery had headed home, where his wife, Kari, was waiting for him. Tadashi and I had discussed the offer before heading to bed. Collapsing on the soft mattress, Tadashi mimed throwing a fishing pole into the air as I sat at the foot of the bed, watching him.<p>

"I don't mind fishing for that enormous fish, but is switching possible with a fishing pole?" Tadashi asked finally.

"I know you can do it," I encouraged him, and he let his hands drop to his sides, yawning. "If you do catch it, then what?" I asked, curling up next to him in bed. "Will you keep it?"

"Can you even keep a thing like that?" Tadashi pointed out, flipping off the lamp by touching the button that appeared by it. I yawned, resting my hand on his chest, and closing my eyes, pressing my cheek to his shoulder, lying on it. "He was a nice guy," Tadashi said after a while, and I smiled.

"I was surprised when you brought him here," I admitted. I opened my eyes, looking up at Tadashi, who was staring up at the ceiling, running his fingers through my hair since I had let it down from it's braid for the night. "In this world, many people are living normally. Since we can fight on the Front Lines, we have a responsibility to them, don't we?" I said softly.

"The main reason I got stronger was so I could survive," Tadashi said, and sighed. I slowly got up onto my elbows, and cupped his cheek with one hand, smiling.

"I think that lots of people expect great things from you now," I told him. "Including me."

"Yeah," He nodded, brushing away the bangs from my eyes. "I promised that I'd save everyone."

"But for just a bit longer," I said softly, lying back down, and allowing his fingers to run through my hair again. "We're going to have to make everyone wait."

"Yeah," He didn't sound happy about it, but probably realized I was already half-asleep, and stopped talking.

* * *

><p>November 7th, 2024<p>

Floor 22-Lake Outside Coral City

"Seriously?" Tadashi grumbled, as we stared around at the people who had turned up to watch Jeffery and the brunette's deal. There were signs around saying, 'You can do it Jeffery!' and 'catch the enormous fish!'

"Everyone heard about the fish!" I said, marveling at the turnout. Tadashi glared at Jeffery, who was talking to a woman who kissed him on the cheek and hurried off. I figured that must have been Jeffery's wife, Kari. A few minutes later, the event started.

"And now, it's time for today's main event!" Jeffery said happily, his fishing pole slung over his shoulder. I smiled at Tadashi, and he sighed. "Tadashi-san," The fisherman turned to the brunette. "Let's do this." Jeffery turned, and I spotted the small creature wriggling in his hands. I took a step back, and shook my head. That had to be this world's version of child abuse.

"How big is this thing?" Tadashi asked, sticking his hands into his jacket pockets. Jeffery swung his pole back, and threw it forwards.

"Here we go..." He growled. A moment of silence fell as the poor lizard-like creature we flung into the lake, and most likely drowned. There was a moment of tension, which was only broken by the light tug on Jeffery's pole. It tugged several times more, before the pole was nearly taken from the man's hands, and he jerked back on his rod, screaming. "NOW!"

He passed the fishing rod to Tadashi, who was dragged forwards on the dock, and my palm collided with my forehead as he battled against the fish. He cursed, and gripped the fishing pole harder, and ran backwards, pulling the fish with it. I pointed as the mass slowly taking shape and form.

"I see it!" I breathed. We rushed forwards to the lake's surface, until the sight before us made us step back. We sprinted away from the water, until Tadashi fell backwards, the line on the fishing pole snapped. He looked confused, running towards the water.

"Tadashi-kun!" I called after him. "It's dangerous!"

"What's dangerous?!" He demanded, turning to look at me. He had barely finished his sentence, when the water exploded, dousing him and destroying the bridge. Tadashi was flung back, and he hit the ground as the enormous fish loomed over him. He yelled, and sprinted away, almost barreling me over as he clung onto my shoulders.

"T-That's unfair!" He yelled. "Don't run away, leaving me..." Despite the situation, I laughed and he glared at me.

"T-Tadashi-san!" Jeffery stammered as the enormous fish stomped on land, roaring.

"It's running on land," Tadashi grumbled. "Is it a Lungfish?" He rested his chin on my shoulder, looking confused.

"Tadashi-san!" Jeffery said again. "Pay attention! Run away!"

"Ah, right," Tadashi said.

"Oh, fine..." I grumbled, and pulled off the jacket I was wearing to cover the rapier I had insisted to bring along.

"Miss, run!" Jeffery roared, but I ignored him, grabbing onto my sword.

"She'll be fine," Tadashi said as I slashed the blade in the air, waiting for the fish to come to me.

"Tadashi-san!" Jeffery tugged on the brunette's arm. "Your wife! Your wife!" The fish finally came down upon me, and I activated a green sword skill, slicing across the animal's side, and shot into the air, slicing right through the fish's body. It shattered as I hit the ground with a light bump, sheathing my rapier. Sighing, I turned to Tadashi with a smile. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by people.

"You're Akira-san, right? What are you doing here?"

"I'm a fan!"

"Can I shake your hand too?"

"Good work!" Tadashi called, breaking through the crowds and flinging an arm around my shoulders.

"Jeez Tadashi-kun," I elbowed him. "Stop talking to me like I did badly!" He laughed, and I noticed a message. Frowning I selected it, and froze.

"Tadashi-kun...it's a message...from Katsuro!" I told him.

* * *

><p>"Alright, stop moping."<p>

I opened the door to our bedroom back in the house, and put my hands on my hips. The two of us had headed back home directly after opening Katsuro's message, which told us to come to Marten immediately. I had changed back into my Blue Lightning uniform, and Tadashi had changed into his regular battle gear.

"But it's only been two weeks," Tadashi protested, lying across one of the beds. I put my hands on my hips.

"If he's calling us back to the Front Lines when we're on vacation, something big must have happened," I pointed out.

"True but-"

"Let's at least talk to him," I cut Tadashi off. "Come on, it's time." Tadashi released a disgruntled sigh, before getting up. "Come on," I said. "Let's deal with this and come back."

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>Floor 22-Coral Teleport Gate Plaza<p>

"Thanks for seeing us off!" Kichirou said with a grin. We had gotten the raven and Kira before we had left, so we were standing together in the teleport gate plaza, with Jeffery and Kari standing before us. "We didn't know each other long, but it was fun. Especially watching this one mess up." He elbowed Tadashi, and laughed.

"Yeah," Jeffery nodded. "It was a good experience for me. Actually, before meeting you, I'd thought of those working to clear the game as in a different world."

"We've been trapped her for two years," Kari nodded. "Even if we make it back to the real world, there's no guaranteeing how much suffering we'll have to endure, and some of us might not even get their jobs back. It's possible that I had already given up on escape. And so, I told myself that spending my time with this guy, who held a fishing rod in his hand, would be the best thing for me." Jeffery blushed.

"Me too," I admitted. "At first, I thought the same thing. I cried alone every single night. It felt like every day that passed here was another one stole a piece of my real life away. After I cried, I'd go and fight as hard as I could. My only thought was of winning, moving forward, and getting stronger. But then, I saw someone napping in the shade, at the plaza. It made me so mad.

"I told him to stop wasting his time and he replied that it was Aincrad's best season and it's best weather setting too, so it'd be a waste entering the dungeon would be a waste," I slid my hand into Tadashi's as he scratched his face with his other hand self-consciously. "Then I tried lying down as well, and accidently fell asleep. When I woke, it was evening and he looked a bit annoyed. But, as we partied up together, even in a world like this, he was really living. He wasn't losing a day in the real world. He was gaining a day here. The one who taught me that...was Tadashi-kun," I squeezed his hand softly. "To me, Tadashi-kun is the reason...the meaning of my two years here. And proof that I'm alive. The reason I tried the NerveGear that day...the day of the Beta Test...was so that I could meet him, eventually."

"Jeez Akira-kun," Kira said. "When did you get so corny?"

"Shut up!"

"That's true," Jeffery said, and took Tadashi and I's hands together, and pressed them against each other, making a sandwich as he held them up. "There's nothing I can do to help you, but good luck."

"Let's go fishing together again," Tadashi said, and Kichirou nodded in agreement.

"We'll be back," I promised. Jeffery nodded, and backed up.

"Teleport!" Tadashi, Kira, Kichirou, and I said together. "Marten!" The last glimpse I had was of Jeffery waving to us, and Kari smiling.

If only I knew that we weren't coming back.

* * *

><p>November 7th, 2024<p>

Floor 57-Marten-Blue Lightning Headquarters

"The recon team was wiped out?" Tadashi repeated in shock. We stood together in front of Katsuro, who nodded grimly.

"We sent in a twenty-member party, taken from five different guilds to prepare for the boss fight," He said. "However...When the first ten reached the room, room and the boss appeared, the entrance closed.

"An anti-crystal area," I realized, and the commander nodded.

"And when it opened five minutes later," Katsuro continued. "Nothing remained in the room. Neither the ten...or the boss."

"That's crazy," I breathed.

"But we cannot give up on clearing the game," Katsuro insisted. "We'll have to attack with the largest group we can."

"We'll help," Tadashi promised. "However, Akira's safety is my highest priority. If things get bad, I will protect her over the rest of the party."

"A person is very strong when he seeks to protect something," Katsuro said. "I'll expect a good fight." And with that, he and the other council members left the room, leaving Tadashi and I alone.

* * *

><p>I sighed, leaning back on the desk I was sitting on. Two hours ago now, Tadashi had pledged to protect me over the rest of the members. It had made me feel loved back then, but now it just seemed overprotective.<p>

"Three hours left, huh..." I sighed, glancing over briefly at Tadashi who was leaning against one of the many windows lining the room. "What should we do?" The brunette didn't respond, but stared at me as if it was the last time we would ever speak. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Don't get mad when I say this..." Tadashi started. "But today, you shouldn't stay here rather than go to the boss fight." I sighed, turning towards the windows.

"Why would you ask that?" I wondered, staring at my feet which were dangling off the ground. I could hear the hushed voices of Kira and Kichirou as they argued, probably about the same thing.

"We can't know what will happen when we can't use teleport crystals," Tadashi said softly. "I'm scared. If anything happened to you-"

"So you want to go yourself, while I wait here where it's safe," I cut him off. He didn't respond, so I jumped off of the table, and walked over to him. "If you went and didn't come back, I would...most likely kill myself." His eyes widened as I continued. "I'd have no reason to live anymore, and I wouldn't forgive myself for not going."

"I'm sorry..." Tadashi whispered, closing his eyes tightly. "I'm panicking. Honestly, I'd rather run away with you." He took my hands in his own, shaking. "We don't have to return to the real world. We can just live in the house in the forest!" I nodded.

"It would be nice if we could..." I admitted. "We could be together, every day...forever. Tadashi-kun, have you ever considered what's happening with our real bodies?" He took in a breath, which made me think he hadn't. "When several weeks had passed after the game began, there was a point that most players went offline for several hours, right?" I continued. "At that point, all the players were probably moved to hospitals. If our bodies are just barely being kept alive on hospital beds...I can't imagine that will work for too long."

"In other words..." Tadashi said softly. "Whether we clear the game or not, there's a time limit?" I couldn't answer. I could already feel the hot tears burning at the corners of my eyes. I buried my face in Tadashi's chest, and laced my fingers through his. He seemed slightly surprised at first, before he stroked my hair which I had let down and had a braid going around my head

"I..." I choked, letting the tears fall free. "I want to stay with you forever...I want us to date for real, to really get married...to get old together! So...So..." I couldn't finish. I was scared that we would never clear the game, never meet each other in real life, or even die in the boss fight. Fear closed up my throat, and I all I could manage were a few strangled sobs.

"For the moment, we have to fight, right?" Tadashi said softly.

* * *

><p>Floor 75-Yurinia Teleport Gate Plaza<p>

Tadashi and I teleported to Floor seventy five, and whispers arose around us. We walked through the assembled players for the boss fight until, somebody took hold of my shoulder, and spun me around.

"Hey," Kira said with a grin. She was standing with Kichirou, smiling.

"So you guys are coming too?" I asked. "I thought Kichirou-kun wouldn't let you go, nii-chan." Kira blushed.

"You heard that?"

"Yeah..."

"It was hard to ignore you guys too," Kichirou quipped and Kira flicked him.

"Anyways, imoto-chan," Kira said. "You should be happy to see me."

"I should?"

"Akira-chan!"

She socked me gently on the shoulder and I burst out laughing. My laughter was cut short when the teleport gate opened, and the rest of the members of the Blue Lightning walked out from the blue portal. They were dressed in full blue and silver, with swords strapped to their backs or sides, and their faces set with determination. Katsuo walked past me without so much as glancing at me. Ordinarily, I would have walked by the Guild Commander's side, and it kind of hurt to see that he was ignoring me.

"Corridor, open," Katsuo ordered, raising a long blue crystal. It started glowing at the arched pathway in front of us opened into a rippled sort of gateway. "Now, let's go." The commander ordered, and one by one we all marched through the portal. When Tadashi and I emerged into the dungeon, I frowned.

"I don't like this place..."

"Yeah..." He nodded. We had materialized in front of the boss room door, and every was preparing for the fight ahead.

"Are you ready?" Katsuo asked finally. "The Blue Lightning will take the majority of damage on the front line. While we do, I'd like the rest to discern it's attack patterns, and prepare to change tactics as necessary. It will be a difficult battle, but I have faith that we will prevail. For our day of liberation!" We cheered in response, our roared shaking dust from the ceiling. Then, Katsuo turned and smirked at the doors. I glanced at Tadashi, noticing his dark scowl, and his clenched fists. I took hold of his wrist, and he froze.

"It'll be okay," I promised. "I'll protect you. So, you protect me, okay?"

"Yeah, I will," He nodded, and his hands relaxed, and I laced my fingers through his. The door creaked slowly open as Katsuo pushed it, revealing the darkened room. "Don't die," Tadashi said teasingly to Kichirou.

"Same to you!" Kichirou grinned.

"Attack!" Katsuo ordered, and we charged into the room, roaring. I froze, holding my sword and standing with the rest of my guild, wiping sweat from the top of my head. We were quiet and tense, our weapons at the ready as Tadashi stood by my side. The doors slid closed behind us, vanishing.

"Nothing's happening..." Someone grumbled. Suddenly I heard something. Scuttling, like something was scrambling down the wall, like a centipede.

"Above us!" I yelled, and everyone froze as they looked up. An icon appeared above it.

"The Skull..." Kichirou started.

"Reaper...?" Kira finished. The boss gave an unearthly shriek, and fell from the ceiling, landing with a thump.

"Don't stay together!" Katsuo ordered. "Keep away from it!" When nobody moved, Tadashi cursed.

"This way!" He yelled. "Run!" The raid members ran towards us, but two unlucky soldiers were caught in it's deadly line of vision. They were killed the instant the boss threw them aside with it's horrible claws. As their limp bodies flew through the air, I tried to catch one of them, to save them, but their bodies shattered before they even hit the ground.

"W-With one hit?" Kira stammered. "That's insane..." The Skull Reaper scuttled towards a particularly terrified man, and he screamed, if Katsuo hadn't intervened. The boss's blade bounced harmlessly off of his shield, and it growled, moving in to kill another player, which it accomplished with one sweeping motion. It let out a howl, and scampered away from Katsuo, and circled around us.

"We can't even get close to it!" Kichirou growled. Tadashi shook his head, and ran after the boss as it settled again in the middle of the arena. It moved in again for the kill, ready to murder another player.

"Get back!" Tadashi yelled, and his double blades slammed into the boss's scythes. He collapsed, almost screaming in pain as the Skull Reaper cut a deep gash into his shoulder. I ran forwards as the monster attacked Tadashi with it's other blade, and Katsuo blocked the attack, as I jabbed forwards, forcing the Skull Reaper back.

"If we block together, we can do this," I promised Tadashi, pulling him up. "We can do it!"

"Okay..." He nodded, and we took off around the monster. "We'll take care of the scythes!" Tadashi yelled to the paralysed raid. "Everyone else, attack from the sides!" I dodged a blow from one of the scythes, landing on top, and flipping off after the Skull Reaper tried to spear me. Activating sword skills, Tadashi and I forced the monster back.

The others roared and charged, attacking and slicing at the boss's sides. Every time the Skull Reaper turned around to try and attack, we blocked his way, making sure it's main priority was killing us. Things were starting to go our way, when the monster's tail lashed out, slicing across two men's stomachs, and killing them instantly. Releasing two shrieks, the Skull Reaper rose up slicing it's scythes through thin air. We had hardly done anything to it, but I didn't let that stop me.

"Tadashi-kun!" I called. I gulped, but nodded, his face fixing into a determined glare.

"Yeah!"

We ran forwards as the beast chased Katsuo around the room, slamming it's blades into his shield. Kira, Kichirou, Tadashi, and I charged forwards, yelling. Kira got above the Skull Reaper, thrusting her sword into it's back while Kichirou activated a red sword skill from under it's body, thrusting forwards, and injuring the beast. It roared and slammed it's blade into Tadashi and I, attempting to kill us.

We blocked narrowly with our swords, and forcing the scythe backwards. Yelling, we activated two sword skills, slamming them into the Skull Reaper's 'chest.' The beast screamed in anger, and we activated blue sword skills, and slammed them into the boss's chest.

* * *

><p><strong>Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**LAST CHAPPEH! **

* * *

><p><em>Previously on Survival in a Digital Game<em>

_We ran forwards as the beast chased Katsuo around the room, slamming it's blades into his shield. Kira, Kichirou, Tadashi, and I charged forwards, yelling. Kira got above the Skull Reaper, thrusting her sword into it's back while Kichirou activated a red sword skill from under it's body, thrusting forwards, and injuring the beast. It roared and slammed it's blade into Tadashi and I, attempting to kill us._

_We blocked narrowly with our swords, and forcing the scythe backwards. Yelling, we activated two sword skills, slamming them into the Skull Reaper's 'chest.' The beast screamed in anger, and we activated blue sword skills, and slammed them into the boss's chest._

* * *

><p>The battle raged on around us, people attacking and Tadashi and I keeping the Skull Reaper's attention on us and Katsuo. I couldn't watch as people who had showed up for the raid died, either perishing to its scythes, or meeting their ends through the monster's tail. Tadashi and I kept switching, watching as the battle raged in around us. Kira leapt into the air, and came down with a crimson sword skill, slamming the blade into the Skull Reaper's side, but getting thrown into Kichirou in the process.<p>

"Everyone, attack!" Katsuo roared, and I noticed it's heath. We were on it's last bar, and that was very close to zero. Everyone charged forwards, slicing and hacking, activating sword skills, and pretty much destroying what was left of the Skull Reaper. Slamming my sword into the boss's stomach, Kira and I did a double sword skill to the monster's underbelly.

Finally, it was over.

The beast's HP reached zero, and it shattered into nothing.

The battle was over. The Skull Reaper was no more.

We exploded into cheers, which faded into silence as everyone collapsed. Tadashi and I pressed our backs together, panting.

"How many did we lose?" Kira asked finally. There was a moment of silence as Tadashi checked the casualties.

"Fourteen died," He whispered. The joyful mood faded instantly from everybody, but to be honest, it was never there in the first place.

"No way," Kichirou gasped. "We still have twenty five floors...WIll we ever be able to reach the top?" Tadashi sighed, and I rested the back of my head on his shoulder. He suddenly took in a sharp breath, and picked up his sword.

"Tadashi-kun?" I looked at him, but he stood up, and lunged at Katsuo.

His sword never made contact.

Just as Amaya, a sign appeared right by the commander's head. The same sign that had revealed her as a program.

'Immortal Object.'

I got up, and ran towards him.

"Tadashi-kun, what are you-" I cut myself, off, noticing the sign. Murmurs arose around us and my eyes widened in shock. "'Immortal Object?'" I repeated, taking a step back as Tadashi walked back to me. "Wh-What's going on Commander?"

"The game ensures that his HP never reaches the yellow zone," Tadashi growled. "Something has always bothered me ever since I arrived here. 'Where does he hide when he watches us and adjusts the world?' But, I had forgotten a simple piece of phycology. Something any kid knows. There's nothing as boring as watching someone else play and RPG. Isn't that right, Kayaba Akihiko?" He glared pointedly at Katsuo, and I gasped. The commander that had personally invited me to join his guild, the man who had practically taken care of me and raised me while I was in SAO, was Kayaba Akihiko. The man who developed Sword Art Online. The man who trapped us in here.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me how you figured this out?" Katsuo asked curiously. He wasn't denying it, nor was he accepting it.

"The first time I felt something was wrong, was during the duel," Tadashi explained. "In that last instant, you were far too fast."

"I suspected as much," Katsuo nodded. "That was an unfortunate mistake. You overpowered me to the point that I needed to engage in the system's over-assist mode." The people around me gasped and I blinked, trying to moisten my dry throat. "Yes, I am Kayaba Akihiko," The commander admitted, grinning broadly. "And, if I may add, I am the game's final boss, who would have awaited you at the top floor." I tried to speak, but couldn't, so I looped my arm through Tadashi's and pressed my hand to his chest. Despite his calm and quiet appearance, I could feel his heart, throwing itself against his ribs.

"That's pretty bad," Tadashi said finally. "The strongest player betrays us to become the last boss?"

"Not a bad storyline, is it?" Kayaba said, sounding amused. "I always thought that you'd be the one to stand before me in the end. Both of you, in fact. Dual-wielding is a skill given to the player with the fastest reaction time, who will then act out the part of the Hero that challenges the Demon King. But, your power exceeded my expectations. Well, these unexpected events are part of the fun of an MMORPG."

"Our loyalty...our hope..." I said. "How dare you..."

"How dare you!" Another voice joined in. A member of the Blue Lightning leapt into the air, but Kayaba activated something in his menu, paralysing the poor guy.

"Paralysis?" Tadashi breathed. I felt the effects hit my body, and I fell limp.

"Tadashi-kun!" I said softly. He caught me before I could bang my head on the asphalt and pass out. Around me, players collapsed as they were attacked with the effect of paralysis. Soon everybody was lying limp on the ground. Everybody, except for Kayaba and Tadashi. The brunette gathered me up in his arms, and glared at the leader of SAO.

"What are you going to do?" He asked. "Kill us all, and cover it up?"

"Of course not," Kayaba snorted. "I wouldn't do something so unfair. Very well, then...I shall await you on the top floor, within the Ruby Palace. I've put a long time, developing the Blue Lightning, and the other Front Line players, so it's a shame that I have to leave them partway. However, I'm sure that with your power, you will reach me eventually. But first...Tadashi-kun, I must award you for deducing my identity. I shall give you a chance."

"A chance?" Tadashi repeated.

"The chance to fight me one-on-one," Kayaba said dismissively. "Naturally, I'll deactivate my immortal status. Defeat me, and you beat the game. And all the players will be able to log out. How about it?"

"No, Tadashi-kun!" I said, looking at him. "For now...For now we should fall back." He didn't respond, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. He seemed to be lost in memories, and I wished I could take his face and force him to look at me. I glared up at the paralysis symbol by my heath bar. It looked so much like the Blue Lightning symbol, it made me even angrier. Tadashi's grip on me tightened, and I looked up at his face, which was twisted up with fury.

"Don't insult me," He growled. For a second, I thought he was talking to me, before I realized he was directing it at Kayaba. My eyes widened. "That's fine. Let's finish this."

"Tadashi kun!" I protested.

"I'm sorry," Tadashi's expression softened as he looked at me. "But I can't run away here." I tried moving again, but my limbs wouldn't move.

"You won't die here, right?" I asked him.

"No," He replied. "I'm going to win. I'm going to win, and end this game."

"Alright," I wanted to nod, but couldn't. "I believe in you, Tadashi-kun." He smiled, and took my hand, squeezing it softly, before sliding his fingers out from under mine, and lay my fingers gently on my stomach. He set me gently on the ground, and stepped over my limp body, drawing his double blades.

"Tadashi, don't!" Kichirou yelled.

"Tadashi-kun!" Kira screamed. The defiant brunette walked up to Kayaba, his face set with determination.

"Kichirou..." Tadashi called over to the raven. "Thanks for always being there for me, buddy. You're my best friend. I'll see you on the flip side, okay?" He turned to my sister, and smiled. "Kira...Please, take care of your sister. No matter what happens, don't let her down, and Kouji...I'm really sorry...for everything."

"D-Darn it Tadashi!" Kichirou yelled, tears streaming down her face. "Don't apologize...Don't you dare apologize to me now! I still have to give you a firm kick in the butt for that! I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you until you apologize, let me beat you up, and buy me a meal on the other side!" I was confused, but decided to ask later.

"Got it," He said softly. "See you on the other side." He locked eyes with me, and I felt fear close in on his heart. He didn't expect to win this fight. He had lied, for my sake.

"Tadashi-kun!" I yelled, allowing myself to start crying for the second time that day. He smiled, and turned to Kayaba.

"Sorry, but I have a request," He told the Game Master.

"What is it?" Kayaba asked, almost irritated.

"I don't plan on losing," Tadashi admitted. "But if I die here...I want you to make sure that Akira can kill herself, just for a little while."

"Very well," Kayaba nodded.

"Tadashi-kun, no!" I yelled, my voice cracking. "You can't...You can't do that!" I closed my eyes, and only opened them when I could see again. Tadashi and Kayaba were ready for battle, both tense and prepared. "Tadashi-kun!" I screamed, the tears streaming down my cheeks.

The battle started just as the way the duel did. Tadashi charged with well placed blows, but this time he wasn't aiming at the shield alone. He was attacking, trying to get into Kayaba's defenses while the Game Master slashed and hacked.

They were fighting to kill.

Kayaba threw his sword out, and Tadashi tucked, a strand of his brown hair being sliced off. They fought back and forth, sword against sword, sword against shield. They dodged and sliced, parried and thrusted, neither one getting the upperhand. As I watched, Tadashi got faster, flipping over Kayaba's head, and slamming his swords into the Game Master's shield.

Tadashi was forced backwards with a blow, and got more offensive than defensive. His blades became a blur of movement, and I could barely see them, not only because my eyes were filled with tears. Kayaba slashed with his blade, and cut Tadashi's cheek, and he cursed, and started again, slicing at the person who had trapped us in this game. The person who had stood by as thousands were slaughtered.

Every attack Tadashi seemed to throw at Kayaba, he seemed to be able to block with unearthly ease. Finally, he activated a sword skill, jabbing at the shield with Lisbeth's sword. It shattered upon impact, and suddenly, my paralysis broke. I struggled upwards, and ran towards Tadashi.

"Imoto-chan!" Karissa screamed. "NO!" The world seemed to move in slow motion as Kayaba raised his sword, and prepared to kill Tadashi.

"Goodbye, Tadashi-kun," Kayaba said cheerfully. I sped up, and jumped in the way with my arms outstretched. Kayaba slashed across my shoulders, and I cried out in pain, stumbling backwards into Tadashi's arms. Pain filled my body. My HP dropped to zero. My eyes closed as I saw a read panel appearing before me.

**'You are Dead.'**

I opened my eyes, and looked at Tadashi with a small smile, as my body started glowing. The brunette was horror struck.

"No, Akira..." He whispered. "Why...Why did you do it? This can't...This can't be...This can't be happening..."

"I'm sorry," I managed. Fear filled his face, and he shook his head. "Goodbye..." Closing my eyes again, I took one last deep breath, and my body shattered into data.

* * *

><p>My eyes opened again in the sky.<p>

Yes, the sky, you heard me. I was standing on an invisible platform, floating above Aincrad, which was also hovering above the ground which was lost in the clouds below. The full realization of what I just did hit me, and I swallowed.

Oh man...Mom was going to kill me...

I imagined the nurses going crazy, or maybe they were used to it by now. Tons of people died in the battle against the Skull Reaper, and on top of that, over two thousand people had died while Sword Art Online had been active. I just supposed they were going to get ready to call my family.

The very thought of my mother made me want to start crying again. I wondered how Kira was going to take it. Being an only child. And Tadashi...there was nothing stopping him from committing suicide. I just hope he survived the battle after I had saved him. I wanted to just break down then and there, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Turning around, I saw the back of a very familiar head.

"Tadashi-kun?"

For a moment he didn't respond, but I heard him take in a deep breath of air. Then, he slowly turned to face me, his eyes wide. For a moment none of us spoke.

"Sorry," Tadashi said finally. "I died, too."

"Dummy..." I shook my head, but smiled, finally being overwhelmed with the urge to cry. I ran towards Tadashi, collapsing in his arms. I tilted my head up, and pressed my lips to his gently. A few moments later, we broke apart and smiled.

"Where are we?" Tadashi asked, releasing me, but taking hold of my hand. Wordlessly, I pointed down, towards Aincrad. It looked as though it was disintegrating. Every piece of the floating castle fell down towards the ground, and I winced as I watched our log home get cracked in two.

"Quite a view," A voice interrupted us, and I looked up at a man standing a few yards away. I recognized him at once.

"Kayaba Akihiko," I breathed.

"The SAO mainframe, within the fifth level basement, at my corporate headquarters, is deleting all data on it's storage devices," Kayaba explained. "In ten minutes or so, everything in this world will vanish."

"What about the people down there?" I asked.

"You needn't worry about them," Kayaba said dismissively. "Just a moment ago, the remaining 6,147 players were logged out."

"What about the ones who died?" Tadashi asked softly. "What about the four thousand that died?"

"Their minds will never return," Kayaba said simply. "In every world, once you die, you're gone." A moment of silence fell around us, until Tadashi spoke again.

"Why..." He said. "Why did you do this?"

"Why, huh?" Kayaba looked thoughtful for a moment. "I forgot a long time ago. I wonder why...When I began developing the full-dive environment system...No, long before that, I dreamed of nothing but creating that castle, a world that surpassed all our laws, and all our restrictions. And now I have seen someone surpass even my own world's laws..." He looked at Tadashi for a second, before looking back at the crumbling castle that was once Aincrad. "How old I must have been when I was obsessed with the fantasy of a steel castle that floated in the sky...

"I wanted to leave the ground, to fly to that castle. For a long, long time, that was my only desire," Kayaba sighed. "You know, Tadashi-kun, I still believe that in some other world, that castle really exists."

"Yeah, I hope it does," Tadashi said softly. I nodded in agreement.

"I forgot to say this..." Kayaba remembered. "Congratulations on clearing the game, Tadashi-kun. Akira-kun." He turned to us with a warm smile. "Now, I must take my leave." And with that, Kayaba Akihiko turned and walked away, and by the next time the wind blew, he was gone.

"You forgot to tell me you beat the game," I said softly. "You both died then?"

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded. "My health was at zero...I was dead, but for some reason I didn't die. I wanted to finish the job, for your sake." I smiled, and we sat down together, on the edge of the platform. I pressed my lips against Tadashi's, and he gently pulled away after a few minutes.

"I guess this is goodbye..." He said softly. I straightened up, and shook my head.

"No..." I told him. "No, it isn't. We're going to disappear as one. So we'll be together forever. Before we do, tell me your name. Not your player name, your real name." I looked at him with a smile, and he looked slightly shocked, before smiling as well.

"Takuya," Tadashi said. "Takuya Kanbara. I think I turned sixteen three months ago. In August."

"Takuya Kanbara-kun..." I said softly, before grinning. "You're younger than I am?" He looked confused, so I continued. "My name is Yuu Fujimura, I turned sixteen in June."

"Yuu Fujimura..." Tadashi whispered my name several more times under his breath, just for memory's sake. Then, to my surprise, tears started rolling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry..." He choked. "I'm so sorry...I promised I'd send you back to the other world...But...I...I..." He could hardly speak, so I slid my hand over his and squeezed it softly.

"It's okay," I promised him, trying not to cry myself, but failing miserably. "It's okay. I'm happy I was able to meet you, Takuya-kun. To live with you. It's the happiest I've ever been in my life. Thank you...I love you." Before I knew it, we were both trying to hold back our tears and Tadashi threw his arms around me, his sobs subsiding. I hugged him back, and I felt the odd feeling as if I was logging out, or even being deleted.

Somehow I knew, we weren't going to die. Our brains weren't going to be destroyed. We would wake up in the real world, and find each other again. I prepared myself for the real world as we disappeared together.

"I love...I love you," I whispered before we vanished.

But, when I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in the real world.

* * *

><p><strong>OK, so I have decided to make another book for the ALO series, so GOMEN if you don't like that decision.<strong>

**The book is going to be called 'Flames of the Past' just for the heck of it, so keep a look out for the story! **

**SEE YOU LATES! **


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